By Matt Decker
Leisure/Sports editor
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The city of Vienna, Mo., may be small (pop. 628), but it has plenty for automotive enthusiasts to do the first full week of June.

Located in Maries County, Vienna is about a 45-minute drive from Fort Leonard Wood.

On June 3, the 16th annual “Pontiac Cruiz-In and Parts Swap” is scheduled at 11 a.m. at the Done and Lee Bennett home, located at 10951 South Highway 63. This annual auto show is free and open to owners of all makes and models, and visitors can enjoy free refreshments as they view the displays, shop for hard-to-find parts or just engage in a little “car talk.”

“Don and Lee Bennett are great people and enjoy showing all different kinds of vehcles on their property,” said Charlie Buntsma, who helps promote the show.

“Depending on the weather, they will have up to a 100 cars on display,” Buntsma said.

For more information about the event, call 573.422.6273.

The only thing more fun that showing vehicles may be watching them smash into each other — at least, that’s what organizers of Vienna’s upcoming Figure Eight Race and demolition derbies hope.

On June 9 audience members will be able watch contestants in cars, trucks and vans follow a figure-eight pattern (in either drive or reverse) with “smashing” results likely as they race toward an $800 first-place prize. The main event will follow a lawnmower demolition derby and mini-truck, fan and SUV demo derby, with all events held at the Vienna City Park.

“Vienna has had demolition derbies before, but never this many on the same date,” said Buntsma, who is also promoting the race.

Admission to the Figure Eight Race is $10 for adults and free for children 6 and younger. For more information, visit www.viennademoderby.com or call 573.821.5145.