Destruction Derby

Destruction Derby
Episode #	312
Air Date	November 24, 1979
Briefing	?

Title screen

Brief Plot

Ponch and Jon go undercover at a raceway to probe a drug ring.

Guest Stars

• Billy Green Bush as Bones Bateman
• Angel Tompkins as Billy Wakefield/Laurie Windsor
• Dick DeCoit as Chet Lindford

Co-Starring

• Paul Linke as Grossman
• Brodie Greer as Baricza

Featuring

• Alan Beckwith as Junkyard Worker
• Anna Mathias as Rachel
• Cynthia Gable as Sarah
• Randi Oakes as Bonnie Clark

Crew

• Produced by: Cy Chermak
• Written by: Richard B. Mittleman
• Directed by: Gordon Hessler
• Executive Consultant: Rick Rosner
• Story Editors: William D. Gordon & James Doherty
• Associate Producer: Paul Rabwin
• Developed for television by: Paul Playdon
• Music by: Alan Silvestri
• Theme by: John Parker
• Music Supervisor: Harry V. Lojewski
• Director of Photography: Robert F. Sparks
• Art Director: Les Gobruegge
• Editor: William Neel
• Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
• Assistant Director: Bob Jeffords
• 2nd Assistant Director: Paul Chavez
• Script Supervisor: Jack Gannon
• Set Decorator: W. Joseph Kroesser
• Production Consultant: Dave McDannel
• Technical Advisor: Bill Kuethen
• Stunt Co-ordinator: Paul Nuckles
• Rerecorded at: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
• Sound: Harlan Riggs, M. Curtis Price, C.A.S.
• Wardrobe Supervisor: Shelly Levine
• Makeup: Richard Cobos, S.M.A, Walter Schenck
• Hairdresser: Don Lynch
• Casting: Michael O. Hanks
• Locations by: Cinemobile Systems
• With Appreciation to Glen B. Craig, Commissioner California Highway Patrol
• Motorcycles Furnished by: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
• Automobiles furnished by: Ford Motor Company
• Filmed in METROCOLOR / Titles and Opticals MGM
• Rosner Television in association with MGM Television

Fun Facts

• This is the last time that a 1971 Pontiac Firebird Esprit is used as Ponch’s car.
• The Ascot Park demolition derby track was on South Vermont Avenue in Gardena. It closed at the end of 1990. The site is currently occupied by Insurance Auto Auctions. View in Google Maps

Mistakes

• The first races take place at night, yet the shots of Jon in the pits are obviously filmed in daylight.
• Ponch's first two races a supposed to take place on different nights, but the position of the cars/RVs in the car park that can be seen in the background are identical in both.
• During the demolition derby at the end, the amount of damage on Ponch's green #40 car, especially the rear, keeps changing.

Preceded by: "The Watch Commander"

Destruction Derby 312

Followed by: "Second Chance"