Trio dominates demolition derby

DOWAGIAC - David Helmke, his cousin Jay White III and Jay's wife Brooke captured three of the top four places in the Unique Motor Sports Demolition Derby Saturday night at the Berrien County Youth Fair in Berrien Springs, which is why there were three demolished cars - two Lincoln Town Cars and Jay's "Tony Stewart orange" Ford Mercury Grand Marquis, all with Chevy engines - beside Clinton Street Monday.
Helmke, a former football player who won a total of $650, said, "I'm still smashing stuff up. Before I was smashing heads, now I'm smashing cars." "There were probably 50 cars that showed up," Jay said. "It's one of the bigger derbies in Michigan" with five qualifying heats leading to the feature. The Whites finished third and fourth to an Indiana man. Brooke "put a couple of good hits on me. I was trying to leave her alone," Jay said.

"This was the first time we ran against each other" since the 12-year, third-generation driver introduced her to demolition derbies four years ago. "Her driver's side back tire was literally in the middle of another guy's car, right over the top. The audience went nuts" for the silver car with the air cleaner painted pink. "She's got just as many wins as I do" in eight fewer years. It takes about 200 hours to build a "competitive car," White said.

Helmke's Town Car was painted with a military motif "to support the troops," which didn't keep him from getting booed like a villain when he went after "the Perfect 10" in her pink Cadillac on the 31st anniversary of Elvis Presley's death.
Their sponsors include FCI Construction, Benny's Barber Shop, Dave Jerz and Keith Fenech of First Choice Auto.