BRITTANY AND PATRICK RANKIN POSE IN FRONT OF THEIR DAUGHTER, MADDIE RANKIN, WHO BEGAN HER DEMOLITION DERBY SEASON ON APRIL 3 IN LOUISVILLE. MADDIE RANKIN, 16, HAS PARTICIPATED IN DEMOLITION DERBY COMPETITIONS SINCE SHE WAS 11.
“ I’ ve come really far,” she says.“ I’ m proud of myself.”
She knows she is sometimes underestimated on the track and has learned to use that to her advantage.
“ It gives me more motivation,” she says.
Her mother has seen that contrast first-hand.
“ She gets out there and she’ s like a little Tasmanian devil,” Brittany says.
CONTINUING A FAMILY TRADITION
While Maddie is building her own place in demolition derby, her involvement is rooted in her family, especially her dad. Motorsports were already part of Patrick’ s family. His grandfather raced on circle tracks, and his father competed in demolition derby. Patrick would continue the tradition. His own start in the sport was simple.“ He brought a car and wanted to try it,” Brittany says.
What began as an interest became a long-term involvement for the whole family. Brittany came into the sport later but quickly found her place in it.
“ I started running until 2019, and I won my very first derby,” she says.
Now, all three share the experience, sometimes even competing against one another.
“ Maddie got first place, Patrick got second and I got third,” Brittany recalls of one race.“ She took her dad out and won.”
Patrick remembers that moment clearly.
“ I felt happy,” he says.“ She earned it.”
PREPARING FOR COMPETITION
The shared experience continues to shape how the family approaches the sport. Preparation for an event starts long before the cars reach the track.
“ We get there very early,” Brittany says.“ We stay with our cars pretty much the whole time. We’ re usually having to modify it and make sure all the fluids are in.”
Even with the competition, there is a sense of community among drivers.
“ We might not be friends on the track,” she says,“ but off the track, we will help you out.”
Outside of competitions, much of their time is still centered around the cars.
“ We’ re usually in the garage,” Brittany says.“ We just find something to do.”
MAY / JUNE 2026 NEWS AND TRIBUNE SPORTS MAGAZINE PAGE NO. 9