Cars

pepperb@herald-mail.com Even though his old spray-painted Nissan Sentra's trunk was crushed inches from his head and its rear tires spun feet from the ground, Darron Hamrick sludged, spun and smashed the tiny wreck into cars twice its size. And then went up in a ball of smoke. "I tried," Hamrick said and smiled, after crawling through the car's windshield space. Hamrick was one of 17 drivers Friday night who competed for a grand prize of $500 in the Washington County Ag Expo's annual Demolition Derby.

HAGERSTOWN Adler Garrett had just had a minor victory, although there were plenty of trials to pass in the coming rounds of racing on Saturday. Garrett, 10, a member of Cub Scout Pack 14 based in Smithsburg, was among more than 100 contenders in this year's annual Pinewood Derby, held by the Mason-Dixon Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which serves Washington County, and Franklin and Fulton counties in Pennsylvania. A Pinewood Derby is a race of handmade cars that, in Saturday's case, may weigh no more than 5 ounces.

Grave Digger, driven by Dennis Anderson, clears a row of cars in its first run Friday night during the U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam at Hagerstown Speedway.

The Mason-Dixon Dragway is on U.S. 40, 3.7 miles east of Hagerstown. Most races are on Sunday, with some Saturday specials. Gates open most days at 9 a.m. There is a junior drag strip program for youngsters ages 8 to 17. Youngsters race half-scale dragsters over one-eighth of a mile. Junior dragsters run from 10 a.m. to noon. Time trials begin at noon. Eliminations for super cars, modified street cars, street-driven cars and motorcycles start around 2 p.m. Races are held from March through November, weather permitting.

The Mason-Dixon Dragway is on U.S. 40, 3.7 miles east of Hagerstown. Most races are on Sunday, with some Saturday specials. Gates open most days at 9 a.m. There is a junior drag strip program for youngsters ages 8-17. Youngsters race half-scale dragsters over one-eighth of a mile. Junior dragsters run from 10 a.m. to noon. Time trials begin at noon, and eliminations for super cars, modified street cars, street-driven cars and motorcycles start around 3 p.m. Races are held from March through November, weather permitting.

The Mason-Dixon Dragway is on U.S. 40, 3.7 miles east of Hagerstown. Most races are on Sunday, with some Saturday specials. Gates open most days at 9 a.m. There is a junior drag strip program for youngsters ages 8-17. Youngsters race half-scale dragsters over one-eighth of a mile. Junior dragsters run from 10 a.m. to noon. Time trials begin at noon, and eliminations for super cars, modified street cars, street-driven cars and motorcycles start around 2 p.m. Races are held from March through November, weather permitting.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com GREENCASTLE, Pa. - The Greencastle Borough Council voted Monday night to allow the rezoning of eight properties along West Baltimore Street and Findlay Street west of Antrim Way from general residential to highway commercial, paving the way for a chain drug store to be built. The rezoning request had been made by R. Lee Royer and Associates on behalf of Timber Development Corp. The request was addressed at a public hearing before the council's regular monthly meeting.

HAGERSTOWN Spoken over the growl of powerful engines, the words of one Hagerstown race car driver drifted into a strong wind. Alan Sagi, a 42-year-old veteran, was looking for a little Opening Day magic Sunday at Hagerstown Speedway. "I've won on Opening Day three times. I'd like to make it four today," Sagi said. Two divisions of cars raced on the dirt track west of the city. Outside the gates, hundreds of spectators' cars and trucks bore plates from near and far. Stan Dillon, who handles publicity for the track, estimated that about 1,200 people came to see the first races of the year.

SHARPSBURG - Cars parked on Chapline Street between Sharpsburg Pike and Snyders Landing Road need to be moved by noon Monday so crews can pave the road, Mayor George Kesler said Friday. The work could carry into Tuesday, he said.

By BRENDAN KIRBY Staff Writer The condition of the traffic around the Artz farm on Sunday depended largely on where you were. Frustrated after sitting in his car in parking lot D for about an hour and a half Sunday afternoon, Middletown, Md., resident Harry Goad wondered when he would get home. "What happened? Did the state police take a holiday?" he said. "I haven't seen anything move since I've been here. " Halfway resident Mike Leigh, on the other hand, faced no troubles after the final day of the commemoration of the 135th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam.