demolition derby

American  

noun

1. a contest in which drivers deliberately and repeatedly crash old cars into each other, on a racetrack or in an enclosed area, with the winner being the last vehicle still moving after all others have been disabled.

2. Informal.  any event or circumstance having the chaotically destructive character of such a competition.

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demolition derby British  

noun

1. a competition in which contestants drive old cars into each other until there is only one car left running

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Etymology

Origin of demolition derby

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

The one presented is about as elegant as a demolition derby conducted at a landfill, with so many elements flying around that the movie ends in a thick cloud of culpability.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nine people were injured, one critically, after a car crashed into a crowd during a demolition derby in southeastern Australia, police said.

From BBC

The race, part of the annual Walcha Motorcycle Rally, had been a demolition derby - a type of motorsport where drivers ram their vehicles into one another.

From BBC

O'Neill not imagining repeat of 'Demolition Derby'

From BBC

We’re supposed to find depth in Johnson’s weary, pinched grin as he appreciates the sunset on a flight to Japan or watches fans at demolition derby cheer just as loudly for mindless chunks of metal getting crushed.

From Los Angeles Times