Father, daughter battle for Western derby title in North Battleford

When the dust finally settled, it was the father who drove away as a Western champion, taking home $4,000 for first place.

But for both of them, the final was about more than winning. It was a family tradition built over years of weekends in the shop, derby nights and memories made behind the wheel.

For Darren Poitras Jr., the sound of an engine and the smell of dirt have been part of family life for years. He first brought a car into the arena at 16, following in his father’s footsteps. What began as a passion quickly became something shared across generations.

“There’s a lot of memories, like me and my dad taking first and second places a lot of times. Now me and my daughter are taking first and second,” he said. “It’s something I always shared with my family.”

This time, however, the familiar family tradition took an unexpected turn.

Across the dirt from Poitras Jr. sat his 16-year-old daughter, Alexi Saddleback, behind the wheel of her own car. For the first time, the two were opponents.

“It was a very amazing family moment,” Saddleback said. “I’ve been wanting to do it ever since I was like eight. It was really interesting to do, but it was nerve-wracking and I’m glad I had them to motivate me and be there for me in the ring.”

For Saddleback, driving into the derby meant entering a world she had spent years watching from the sidelines. Going up against seasoned drivers was intimidating, but she knew she wasn’t alone.

From left: Darren Poitras Jr., Alexi Saddleback and Darren Poitras Sr. (Image Credit: Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW)

Cheering from the sidelines was her grandfather, Darren Poitras Sr., who has spent 24 years behind the wheel of a demolition derby car.

Now, he was watching his son and granddaughter share the arena.

“It’s awesome to see, the next generation’s coming up, especially my granddaughter,” he said. “It makes everything worthwhile.”

Poitras Sr. and his son have each won four Western finals over the years, making their mark on the North Battleford derby scene.

For Poitras Sr., the roar of a derby is only part of what keeps him coming back. The real reward has been the time spent with his son, working on cars and sharing a passion for the sport.

“I think the only thing that keeps me motivated is my son. The time spent with him is what means most to me and I mean it’s more of a passion of demo driving and it’s his passion as well, so it works out both ways and we get to spend hours inside the shop together.”

Alexi Saddleback (right) during the Western final. (Image Credit: Alyssa Rudolph/ battlefordsNOW)

Now, another generation has entered the arena.

While Saddleback’s first Western finals ended with her father’s car still running, Poitras Sr. believes it may only be the beginning for his granddaughter.

“It was a little bit nerve-wracking watching her in there. I don’t want her to get hurt or anything, but I mean, she has proven herself that she can drive,” he said. “She’s been watching for how many years and it showed that she knows what she’s doing in there.”

The derby may have ended with one car standing, but for the Poitras family, it was never really about standing alone.

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*With files from Kenneth Cheung

Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com

by Alyssa Rudolph

Father, daughter battle for Western derby title in North Battleford

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