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PLACERVILLE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 

MEDIA CONTACT: Bill Sullivan ([email protected]) 

Former officer and derby organizer Larry Fuller to be remembered Sunday 

By Bill Sullivan

PLACERVILLE, CA – This Sunday afternoon, law enforcement groups from throughout California and Nevada will converge at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds for the 35^th Annual Hangtown Destruction Derby presented by the Placerville Police Officers Association. As this charitable event reaches a landmark anniversary, competitors and organizers will be remembering local resident Larry Fuller who lost a battle with cancer earlier this year. 

Shortly after graduating from high school in Des MoinesIowa in 1959, Fuller moved to California and delivered groceries for P&M Market for a period of time before becoming a Police Officer for the Placerville Police Department. During his time as a Police Officer, Fuller began a racing career at Placerville Speedway and became instrumental in organizing the annual Hangtown Destruction Derby. Fuller was known by his racing and derby counterparts as “Little Fuzz,” not only putting the event together but competing in it with a very competitive nature as well. 

Fuller became an apple farmer while he continued to put time in as a Police Officer until he turned in his badge one day and started his own private investigator business. In addition to the investigating, Fuller also operated a security business that worked closely with the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, Placerville Speedway and the Hangtown Destruction Derby, an event he always had a special interest in until his final days. Larry Fuller passed away in June of this year. 

“When it comes to the derby, Larry Fuller was pretty much one of the founders of the event back in the early 70’s,” said former Placerville Police Chief Steve Brown. “I came to the department in 1980 and long before that he was very involved with derby. Even after he retired from the department he remained involved and was a derby judge up until just a couple of years ago.” 

Brown remembers Fuller as being very competitive at everything he set his mind to. According to Brown, the derby was no accept ion to Fuller’s competitive nature and he recalls one particular derby in which Fuller displayed his driving talents and his aggressive nature. 

“It was in the early 80’s and they held a challenge race before the derby where the cars raced the oval track around the infield,” said Brown. “It war Larry Fuller and Rich Lockwood and there were a couple of other heavy hitters involved, it may have even been Richard Pacileo I don’t remember the others. So here comes Lockwood and Fuller out of the last turn and they got a little too close and Fuller went up the wall and ended up driving on two wheels down the front stretch. He nearly totaled his car before the derby began but he never let off and won the deal.” 

Brown spent many years competing in the derby with great success during his stint. As a veteran derby competitor himself, Brown credits his top finishes to his conservative nature, just the opposite of Fuller behind the wheel. 

“I would never accept a challenge race at the derby, it was too risky that you would wreck the car,” said Brown. “Not Larry Fuller, if you put a challenge in front of that guy he would take it in a heartbeat. He is certainly missed in this community and will be undoubtedly be remembered by all of us on Sunday as the guy who always gave it 110 percent.” 

On Sunday afternoon, the El Dorado County Fairgrounds will be the sight of great camaraderie. The stands are expected to be full of families with cheering children as they pay tribute to their local heroes, some of them their fathers, some the police officer or firefighter they know down the street and some who just happen to have the coolest looking car. In the pit area, drivers and organizers will take some time during their meeting to remember the late Larry Fuller, a late fellow officer, derby competitor and a true friend to the annual Hangtown Destruction Derby. 

The grandstands at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds will open at 1 p.m. on Sunday and the first heat race of the derby is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. following opening ceremonies and the popular parade of entrants. An early arrival to the speedway is suggested as last year the grandstands were nearly filled to capacity prior to the opening event. Adult tickets to the derby are just $10 at the gate. Children 12 and under are $4, unless they attend the auto races the night before and receive a complimentary ticket to the derby. For further information on the event, the official website of Placerville Police Officers Association can be viewed at www.hangtowncops.org and information can also be found on the speedway’s website at www.placervillespeedway.com.