SIT down, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life as beaten-up old cars fight it out to be the last one running in this year's Warwick Show Mal Wood Automotive Demolition Derby.

Steward for this year's derby Shaun Hanigan said the event was all about destruction.

"Basically you take an old car and strip everything out of it, then you put it out in the arena and crash it into everyone else with the aim of destroying the other cars," Mr Hanigan said.

"It's all in and you just go for it.

"This year it's a $500 cash prize for first place and the first car to stop running will get their $40 nomination fee refunded."

Mr Hanigan hopes the prize money sponsored by Mal Wood Automotive will encourage more entries as more cars will make for a better event.

"We are hoping to get somewhere around 20 to 25 cars," Mr Hanigan said.

"We've had a really big influx of inquiries this year; not everyone will build a car but it's looking good."

Entering is as simple as getting to a wrecking yard, Mr Hanigan said.

"Any of the wreckers around town will have a car floating around and the older the car the better because they are stronger," he said.

"They definitely don't make them like they used to."

Mr Hanigan said the derby was always a crowd favourite and had been at the show for as long as he could remember.

"It's after the fireworks and the monster trucks so it will be a night of mayhem and destruction," Mr Hanigan said.

Contestant in this year's derby Luke Hain said watching the event as a child always made him want to compete.

"This car has been to Killarney and Allora already this year," he said.

"It's a lot of fun and adrenaline out there but it does knock you around.

"I was out for a week after I got rear-ended in the Allora derby."

DERBY DETAILS:

Entry closes at 5pm on Wednesday March 21. No late entries will be accepted.

The cost of entering a car is $40.

Admission to the Demolition Derby is included as part of the overall show admission fee.