Rocket Man

Malta's Dwight Score spends most of his days making cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and French Fries as the owner of Joe's in and Out, but on those rare days off, he kind of enjoys blowing stuff up.

"This is my Christmas," Score joked as he loaded fireworks into a box in the bed of his truck. "Christmas in August."

Prior to the demolition derby at the Phillips County Fair two Saturdays ago, Score and his assistant, Cole Brown, strategically plugged artillery shells into about 30 tubes housed in a wooden safety box. The night before, Score set off the fireworks over the Grandstand following...