Spurred by a high-decibel performance by Grammy Award-winning country music band Confederate Railroad and the second night of demolition derby action, the Greene County Fair apparently experienced its best attendance of the week on Friday.

James Thornton, the fair's treasurer, said 8,050 people entered the fairgrounds on Friday. The total topped last year's Friday crowd of 7,711 and also took this year's total attendance to 23,041 for the week.

Thornton said he attributed the second consecutive day of attendance above last year's totals to the weather, the demolition derby and the Confederate Railroad performance.

The Jim Saulsbury Arena was packed beyond capacity for V8 and 4-cylinder demolition derby action at 7 p.m. on Friday, although Thornton said he didn't believe Friday's derby crowd was quite as large as last year's.

A near-capacity crowd also packed the fair's main stage area at 8 p.m. for Confederate Railroad's hard-driving "rowdy country" performance.

The demolition derby action pitted teams of blind-folded drivers and "co-pilots" who directed the drivers in V8 competition in the Jim Saulsbury Arena.

Also battling to be the last car running in 4-cylinder competition were a number of drivers whose vision was not impaired -- other than by mud from the arena's slippery surface and smoke from damaged cars.

When the last fender had been dented in 4-cylinder competition, Steven Klug from Midway had claimed the $500 prize in his battered No. 73 car. Finishing second was Bulls Gap's Phillip Gentry in the No. 75 car.

Gentry also claimed the "aggressive driver" award in the 4-cylinder demolition derby competition.

Third place, meanwhile went to Adam Tolliver, also of Bulls Gap, the No. 11 car.

The V8 demolition derby title came down to a father-against-son battle that ended with Gary Crittenden, of Bulls Gap, defeating his father, Phil Crittenden, also of Bulls Gap.

The battle pitted Gary Crittenden's Chevrolet station wagon against his father's smaller sedan and the pairing proved to be a mismatch with the station wagon quickly battering the sedan into submission.

The Crittendens earlier had made short work of two other competitors in the V8 demolition derby main event.

Gary Crittenden took home a trophy and the first-place prize of $1,000, while Phil Crittenden left with the second-place $500 prize and a trophy. Gary Crittenden also won first-place on Thursday night and received $1,000 for that effort.

Third place (and the $300 prize) in the V8 competition went to Curtis Malone, of Mosheim, while 4th place (and a $200 prize) went to Will Lane, of Mohawk.

Led by the powerhouse lead vocals of Danny Shirley, Confederate Railroad belted out a high energy show that featured many of their hit songs, including their signature song "Trashy Women," with which they closed the show.

The show also featured performances of songs made famous by Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe and Johnny Paycheck.

During the show, Shirley told the audience that early in its career, the band had opened for Johnny Paycheck, "until he went to prison that last time."

Subsequently, the band had performed with David Allan Coe for a number of years before going out on its own.

Confederate Railroad was founded in 1987 in Marietta, Ga. The band has released 10 studio albums. In addition, more than 20 of their singles have entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

In introducing Trashy Women, Shirley told the audience that the critics had termed the song, "the worst we ever recorded." He noted that USA Today had said the song could only be enjoyed by "people totally without class."

"Then you all went out and bought three million copies of it and we went to the Grammy Awards," Shirley told the audience.

Today (Saturday), gates open for the general public at 3 p.m. However, the competitive fair events will begin earlier at 10:30 a.m. with the Cow Buddies, followed by Showmanship and the Junior and Commercial Beef Heifer Show at 11 a.m.

Other competitive events on Saturday include: the Jackpot Adult Showmanship at 2 p.m., the Open Beef Show for Herefords at 4 p.m., and the Open Angus Show for angus at 6 p.m.

The fair's baby show for classes 15-20 will begin at 5 p.m. at the GreenBank Pavilion.

Evening entertainment on Saturday includes:

* Demolition Derby for 80s and Up V-8, 7 p.m., at Jim Saulsbury Arena;

* Bulls Gap Band, 7 p.m., on the Main Stage;

* The Foundations, 9 p.m., at GreenBank Pavilion, and;

* Greeneville's Greatest Finals (the fair's own version of "American Idol"), 9 p.m., on the Main Stage. The winner of this competition will be awarded $2,000.

Admission to the fair is $7 for adults and children 12 and older; $2 children 6-11, and free to children 5 and under when accompanied by a paying adult.