Behind the Badge
After 30 minutes of loud, metal-crunching fun, the only RV still running – albeit barely – in the Motorhome Madness Demolition Derby at the Orange County Fair was the big black Class-C motorhome with “POLICE” inscribed on the sides and “CHIEF STU GREENBERG” painted in white letters along the front.
For the second time in as many tries, Greenberg won the vehicle-wrecking free-for-all pitting local police and fire chiefs against each other. The demolition derby took place Aug. 5 at the Orange County Fair’s Action Sports Arena.
It’s fire vs. police chiefs in the RV Demolition Derby Battle of the Chiefs event in the Action Sports Arena at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.
Photo by Tauli Anderson/Behind the Badge
Greenberg employed the same strategy he used when winning the event during the 2019 Orange County Fair, circling the perimeter of the arena, finding his target, then hitting the gas and inflicting damage on his opponent. The chief also did an excellent job of avoiding damage to his RV.
“When I see them coming, I try to fishtail away from it,” Greenberg said. “It’s a little bit harder in these behemoths, but I try to (draw) them in when I drive around and they come after me and then I go around them. I don’t know if that is what did it, but I got lucky twice so I’ll take it.”
Greenberg was raising funds for the Tustin Police Foundation, and the event itself raised money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Susan G. Komen Orange County, and Project 999, a nonprofit that helps families of law enforcement officers killed or injured in the line of duty.
Tustin Police Chief Stu Greenberg takes on fire chiefs from various agencies in the RV Demolition Derby Battle of the Chiefs event in the Action Sports Arena at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.
Photo by Lou Ponsi/Behind the Badge
Greenberg’s RV was the lone survivor, despite being ripped apart, with nothing but the motorhome’s frame still somewhat intact behind the driver’s cabin.
“This is a huge accomplishment that he got it again,” said Tustin Police Captain Stephanie Nichols, who was among about 30 of Greenberg’s colleagues, friends, and family members who came to support their favorite chief. “We are really proud of him.”
Along with Greenberg, competitors included Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis, Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano, Orange Fire Chief Chris Boyd, and Garden Grove Fire Chief TJ McGovern.
It’s fire vs. police chiefs in the RV Demolition Derby Battle of the Chiefs event in the Action Sports Arena at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.
Photo by Tauli Anderson/Behind the Badge
“The fact that he won two years in a row is amazing,” Tustin Police Captain Manny Arzate said. “He’s not afraid to use the front end of his RV like everybody else is.”
Vanessa Anderson, a captain with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Greenberg’s girlfriend, wasn’t present for the chief’s win three years ago, but was in the arena to see his repeat performance.
“He is good at everything he does,” Anderson said. “I’m really impressed by what he did today.”
Tustin Chief Stu Greenberg, right, was the winner in this year’s RV Demolition Derby Battle of the Chiefs event in the Action Sports Arena at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.
Photo by Tauli Anderson/Behind the Badge
