Medina's Fry twins have competed at fair demo derby for more than 20 years

MEDINA — For twin brothers Kurt and Kyle Fry, the Medina County Fair Demolition Derby has been a lifelong passion. The Medina natives began watching the derby each year as kids. Once they turned 18, they entered the derby for the first time. Two decades later, they are still as hooked as they were when they were little kids. Even this year, when both had doubts whether they would compete, they were at the fairgrounds Friday night waiting to compete in the family pastime. "We always sat and watched it and said one day we had to do it," Kurt said. "Once we did, it just kind of sticks. You get pretty hooked on it. It's all nerves leading up to it, but once that flag drops and you hit that first car, everything goes away and it's all adrenaline." The fact that it is something that the 2003 Medina graduates can do together with their father, Jerry, enriches the experience. "It's fun to do it together with my brother," Kyle said. "We always used to build cars when we were younger, so it's nice to be out in the garage wrenching on cars. You don't always make time to go see each other because life's so busy, but just being together doing things, trying new things to see what we can do. "It's nice to see the finished product when we are done." Kyle's finished product this year was a 1995 Pontiac Grad Prix he drove 2 hours with his father to Williamstown on Wednesday to purchase for the windshield class. Meanwhile, Kurt had his 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis since early in the spring and committed to the project two weeks ago. Friday marked his first time competing since 2019, when he wanted a break from the time and resources to build the car that took him away from family camping and bowling. He put a Chevrolet 350 engine in the car for the 80s motor swap class. "I have no idea (what drew me back), still to this day," Kurt said. "Kyle came to me with a buddy at work with a car to sell, and I tore it apart bit by bit and here I am." Seeing Kurt put together his car drove Kyle to find one of his own for the hobby he admits he cannot give up. "My brother (Jeremy) coming up from Cincinnati kind of helped motivate me," Kyle said. "I didn't know he was going to be up here to watch Kurt. He doesn't come up from Cincinnati every year for the fair, so it motivated me to find something." Along with Jeremy, mother Donna, sister Hillary, Kyle's wife Crystal and kids Addison, Savannah and Landon, as well as Kurt's wife, Dawn, and children Carter and Brenna were in attendance. Kyle's best finish came a couple of years ago when he took third, a feat he duplicated back when the fair still ran the old iron class. Kurt finished second in 2017. Demolition derby is far from the only thing the two share, as both like to bowl, go camping and are part-time firefighters for the city of Medina, an occupation they picked up from their father. "My dad was a fireman for the city of Medina for 34½ years," Kyle said. "We grew up our entire lives watching him do it and fell in love with it." Kyle also works for a retail service center warehouse in town, while Kurt works for the Montville Township service department. Kurt anticipates feeling the same way he felt 20 years ago when he first entered the derby. "I was so nervous I could puke (the first time I competed)," Kurt said. "It was a lot to take in. It was a fun experience and a lot to learn. The nerves never go away. You're always nervous until the flag drops and then it all goes away." Kyle added that there is nothing quite like competing in the derby. "Once you hit the track, it's a different feeling once you start smashing cars," he said. "You can't explain it or put it to words, but once you get on that track and make that turn, a switch gets flipped and it's game on." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.