It isn’t every night a guy gets paid to wreck every car that stands in his way, but Terry Vaughn did just that.

Vaughn bashed his way to the top of the heap in the Lions Club Demolition Derby at the Park County Fair Saturday night.

Alan Teppert came in a glorious second.

The stands were packed. In fact, additional bleachers added this year held fans on the south side of the arena. Those devotees likely were splattered with mud as the snarling jalopies flung mud at the sky and stands like beige snowballs.

Final clash

Terry Vaughn definitely had a full head of steam in the final bout after he took a hard hit. Antifreeze erupted from the engine block like the Old Faithful geyser. But that just seemed to get Vaughn’s dander up as his car flung dirt clods and mud while yanking a 180-degree turn intent on destruction.

The crowd went nuts cheering.

Nothing got in Vaughn’s way, or rather what got in his way was quickly brushed aside like a broom scattering steel leaves on a sidewalk.

Then, it was a head-on collision with his rival, Alan Teppert. Smash — the guys’ cars slammed into one another like two wrestlers body-slamming one another. Their car hoods, already mangled from previous hits, crinkled like Ruffles potato chips. Vaughn’s car gained a little ground, then Teppert pushed back as their wheels spun and engines growled like angry rhinos.

Steel horns unlocked and the respective drivers dodged stalled vehicles like broken steel behemoths.

Teppert ended up smashed in the arena’s southwest corner and Vaughn went in for the kill to sideswipe his opponent and come to rest beside by Teppert for the win.

Vaughn left the arena with $2,000 for besting his opposition in the final fight.

For years Vaughn has been crashing cars for cash, but mostly just for fun.

“This is my 26th year in a row,” Vaughn said.

And, his sixth fair derby win.

Some drivers like to circle the arena, biding their time, but Vaughn prefers taking expeditious action. “I’ve got to be hitting someone all the time,” he said.

Vaughn was jubilant, but so were his many family members and friends that gave him enthusiastic hugs and handshakes in the arena where his winning 1968 Chrysler Newport was parked following the final match.

Sportman-like Teppert, taking second, shook hands with Vaughn too.

“I’ve got the whole family here that comes and watches me,” Vaughn said.

In demolition derbies it is literally the last driver and car standing that triumphs in the ring of twisted metal and bleeding engine fluids and the fans love it.

“It’s just fun to hit hard,” Vaughn said. “I take pride in putting on a good show. Winning is just a bonus.”

Alan Teppert won $1,300 for taking second. Adding his heat winnings, his purse was $1,400, but Teppert seemed most pleased with his trophy.

“I’ve been doing this for 10 years and this is the first time I got one of these,” Teppert said holding aloft his shining trophy.

Veteran demo man, Josh Lovelady nailed third in the final match for $600.

They are the champions

Each heat and grudge winner won $100.

In heat No. 1, Dereck Hutzenbieler was first. Trevor Gillett nailed second.

In heat No. 2, it was Vaughn in first and Wade Burichka in second.

In heat No. 3, Josh Lovelady was first and Teppert was second.

Tyler McIntosh crushed his opponents in the grudge match for first and Eric Parham crashed the party with second.

Don Adams’ “best appearance” wheels won him $50.

Guys nailing “pins,” more or less in the middle of the field in each heat and the grudge match, netted $25 each. They were Scott Wambeke, Matt Lennon, Cole Good, Trent Gillett, Josh Lovelady, Alex Wilk and Eric Parham.

Powder Puff

In the Powder Puff, featuring lady drivers who borrow cars from the previous heats, Chrissy Lennon won by default.

Her car, on loan from Matt Lennon, was the only vehicle capable of reaching the arena in the allotted time to fight. In a spray of dirt, Lennon spun a victory lap.

Herbie Derby

Don Adams won the Herbie Derby leaving the ring with $700 and a trophy. Josh Arends rammed second place for $350.

In the Herbie Derby, compact cars smash each other up just like the larger-bodied autos in the demolition derby.

Josh Arends and Ryan Berchtold crushed Herbie Derby pins for 25 bucks a pop.