A New Fan Favorite Emerges at Demolition Derby

Just before the start of her race, Amber Galiano sat in the bleachers at the Riverhead Raceway. She was about to enter a grueling battle to the death: her first demolition derby.

"I'm very nervous," she said with a laugh.

Three hours later, Galiano stood in victory lane as the Judge's Choice winner after nearly making history as the first female to ever win a demolition derby at the Riverhead Raceway and drawing cheers from the crowd of thousands who stayed after sunset to watch.

Galiano's journey from Rocky Point apartment cleaner to surprise demolition derby racer began with her fiancé, Scott Prydatko. Prydatko has raced in three demolition derbies, and ranked 12th in the standings at the end of last season. After watching her fiancé race, Galiano decided she would take a shot.

"She wants to have her own fun too," Prydatko joked before the race. Earlier, they bought a car they found on eBay, attached foam spikes to the hood, drew eyes and a spike-toothed mouth, and named it "Ms. Tankasaurus."

Now Prydatko and their families turned out for Galiano's debut, all decked in identical forest green shirts with the car's name emblazoned on the front.

As the fireworks shot into the air, the derby drivers got ready for the race. When the lights turned back on, Galiano and "Ms. Tankasaurus" took their place at the center of the track with the other cars. The crowd cheered and the cars sped away, ramming each other in reverse to avoid causing damage to their own vulnerable front end. Galiano held her own at first, taking a few shots and smashing her car into the sides of nearby opponents.

Soon, just Galiano and three other drivers remained. A few minutes later that total would be cut down to two when the car driven by Joey Palmeri tore into another driver's vehicle, flipping him over and pinning him. The second driver, veteran demolition derby racer Jason Savoy was pulled from the wreckage by emergency crew relatively unharmed, excluding the broken nose he sustained earlier in the race.

Now only Galiano and James Kilkenny, a demo racer with a family legacy of racing flowing through his blood, were left. 

The two cars danced around each other in the middle of the track. Galiano floored the car forward while Kilkenny drove in circles backwards to line up a solid hit. Suddenly, Kilkenny's car stalled on the bank of turn three. Galiano circled the broken vehicle but couldn't finish him off: her reverse transmission had broken.

Kilkenny started his car again, took aim, and rammed into Galiano's passenger side with a devastating crunch. But as he pulled away, his right rear tire was compacted into a dangling mess. "Ms. Tankasaurus" was living up to her name, and was only dented from the collision.

Kilkenny turned around and came in for another hit, this time nailing Galiano's car on the hood. Her windshield cracked and a splinter of glass flew into her leg. After pulling out the glass, Galiano waved to the official that she was done.

In an after-race interview, Kilkenny praised the newcomer's talent.

"She got hurt when the windshield broke and bowed out with class," he said and laughed. "From what I saw, I just got my ass kicked by a girl."

Kilkenny moved into first place in the league with the win. But for many the night may be remembered for the girl who nearly beat the boys at their own game.

Will race fans see a return of this charmed newcomer? After the race, Galiano stood next the remains of her car, posing for pictures. She said she was in pain, but when asked if she would race again, Galiano took no time to answer.

"Yup," she said without a second thought.