Northwest Wanderings: Combine demolition derby

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Waiting for a tow, a disabled combine without its rear wheels can no longer compete at the combine demolition derby. Deep ruts score the arena ground where others had been dragged to the pits.

If there is a headbanger's ball for the agrarian set, this is it. This combine demolition derby in Lind is one metal-to-metal mashup.

The Adams County town of 564 grows 10-fold once a year when these machines smash into each other until there's one survivor. Even at 7 mph, 10,000-pound combines pack plenty of punch.

Former champ Grant Miller says he uses a "rope-a-dope strategy. Be smart and stay out of a sandwich" -- getting squeezed between two others.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

It's a squeeze play when a combine gets sandwiched between two competitors and is likely to suffer damage.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

It's standing room only at the derby with Lind's population growing ten-fold for the annual demolition derby.

Wheat farmer Josh Knodel, whose JAWS team owns seven top trophies, began driving the family combine when he was 12.

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Northwest Wanderings: Combine demolition derby