Derby

A Libby, Mont., man won his first-ever demolition derby before a packed house at the Boundary County Fairgrounds on Saturday night.

Driving a 1965 Chrysler Imperial, Bill Luedecke beat out second- and third-place veteran drivers Andy Falck of Bonners Ferry and Brandon Regehr of Naples, respectively, for the $2,000 purse during the Lions Club’s 20th annual Demolition Derby.

“It’s just totally unbelievable,” Luedecke said. “I’ve done good enough (in the past) to make it to the main event, but I never won it.”

Regehr, who spent the hour before the main event repairing a broken rear axle, looked like a sure winner. That was until the throttle on his car stuck and his rear frame on his 1973 Chrysler Imperial ripped out.

A demo driver for 15 years, Regehr won the Bonners Ferry Derby in 2007 and has won the Sandpoint event three times. This summer, he took the title in Sandpoint, which came with a $3,000 prize.

The top four winners in the first heat who advanced to the main event were Tate Theil, Terry Johnson, Duane Finley and James Luedecke. Advancing from the second heat were Casey Johnson, Kyle Watts, Regehr and Bill Luedecke.

Hard luck winners, who also advanced to the main event, were Andy Falck, Jeff Fries, Jesse Stroller and Levi Falck.

Gene Overman of Bonners Ferry won the compact car division with his Buick Century.

“I just got moving and kept going,” Overman said. “This is a tough little car.”

Levi Falck of Bonners Ferry took Best of Show with his 1967 Chrysler Imperial, painted up like Lightning McQueen, the hot-shot race car from the 2006 film “Cars.”

Falck did it for his 5-year-old son, Brady.

“It’s the hometown and he wants to put on a good show,” said his wife, Sarah.