Victory at last
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 18, 2001
Finally, Darren Sonnek got one. After more than a decade of trying, Sonnek brought home the top prize at last week’s Mower County Fair Demolition Derby.
Sonnek, an Albert Lea native, has competed in local derbies throughout the years, and did as well as third in last year’s Jaycees derby at the Freeborn County Fair.
&uot;I just kept on hacking away at it,&uot; said Sonnek.
Driving a 1956 Newport, Sonnek beat out several other contenders, and also took home the hardest hitter prize.
In addition to ‘hacking away at it’, Sonnek took advantage of miscues by two other veteran drivers that sidelined them early and enabled him to take the six-foot championship trophy.
For helping him put together demolition derby entries, Sonnek thanks Exol, Southern Minnesota Lube, Knutson Rental Properties, and freeborncounty.com. He also extends a special thank-you to the Malakowski family, who donates its facilities for shop work on his cars.