Holmes a ‘smashing’ success
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Steven Holmes continued the family tradition of making it to the grand finale at the annual Demo Derby, held Aug. 6 during the 157th Northern Maine Fair — driving his way to victory to take home the $1,000 prize.
Photo courtesy of Andrea Bard-Smith
STEVEN HOLMES
holds the trophy and check for $1,000 he received for winning the 2011 Demolition Derby at the Northern Maine Fair.
Photo courtesy of Andrea Bard-Smith
BRIAN PELLETIER
is pictured holding the trophy he was awarded for coming in third at this year’s Demolition Derby, with Milo Haney, owner of the car Pelletier drove.
Photo courtesy of Andrea Bard-Smith
JUSTIN BURBY
shows the trophy and check for $700 he earned for placing second in the Demolition Derby.
The evening began with a Prettiest Car competition in front of the grandstand. Vying for the honor this year were: Ryan Goodine, Number 34; Justin Burby, 65; Tony Baker, 88; Jesse Clark, 521, Travis Bartley, 32; and Derek Finnemore. Bartley’s car — a whimsical pattern of circles created by a few of his friends using several cases of Sharpee markers in an array of colors, including blue, pink and yellow — won the approval of the audience, taking top honor and the $100 gift card from the Aroostook Centre Mall. Baker placed second, followed by Burby in third.
Competition in the infield began with the Figure 8. Competitors in this event included: Joe Silliboy, 76; Brian Pelletier, 3; Milo Haney, 53; Ryan Goodine, 34; Kyle Wells, 151; and Derek Finnemore, 17. Haney took first, winning $300; in second was Pelletier earning $200; followed by Finnemore, who received $100.
Holmes saw his first win in Heat 1, outlasting four other drivers, including: Tony Baker, 88, who took second; Jesse Clark, 151, who finished third; followed in fourth place by Paul Marshall, 54; and Cameron Burby, 74, who came in fifth.
Bob Anderson driving car 4 took first in Heat 2, followed by Justin Burby, 65, in second; and Adam Silliboy, 15, took third.
Joe Silliboy, in car 77, placed first in Heat 3. Taking second place was Jackie Abar, 00; with Milo Haney, 21, in third; Ryan Cyr, 69, fourth; and Jesse Clark, driving 54, finishing fifth.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
STEVEN HOLMES, in the Grim Reaper (83) goes after Paul Marshall in car 54 at during the first heat of the 2011 Demolition Derby at the fairgrounds in Presque Isle.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
WAITING FOR A TOW — Joe Chamberlain, an official at this year’s Demo Derby, watches as heavy equipment moves in to remove vehicles unable to move following the first heat. Pictured with Chamberlain are cars 88, driven by Tony Baker, and car 521, owned by Jesse Clark.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
ADAM SILLIBOY in car 15, at left, gets hit from the front by Bobby Anderson in car 4 during the 2011 Demolition Derby in Presque Isle.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
JACKIE ABAR, in 00, goes for the front of Joe Silliboy’s 77, better known as Smokin’ Joe. Flames could be seen shooting from the front of Silliboy’s vehicle for much of the third heat at the Presque Isle event.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
THE GRANDSTAND was packed as spectators stood for the National Anthem at the beginning of this year’s Demolition Derby in Presque Isle.
Heat 4 saw Kyle Wells driving car 151 to first place, followed by Carter Grass, 72, in second; Joe Silliboy, 76, in third; Travis Bartley, 32, in fourth; and in fifth was Ryan Goodine, 34.
Making it to the Consolation Heat were two of Jesse Clark’s cars, 24K and 521; as well as Derek Finnemore, 17. Clark’s cars outlasted Finnemore’s vehicle, which broke, with officials announcing a tie between 24K and 521.
Those finishing in either first or second for the prior heats advanced to the Grand Finale. A total of 12 cars made it to the final round, including: Haney’s 53, Pelletier’s 3, Holmes’s Grim Reaper 83, Baker’s 88, Anderson’s 4, Burby’s 65, Joe Silliboy’s 77, Jesse Clark’s 521 and 24K, Abar’s 00, Wells’s 151 and Grass’s 72.
Holmes and his station wagon proved to be the toughest for the night, outlasting the competition to take this year’s derby title and the $1,000 top prize. In second was Burby, winning $700 for his efforts, with Pelletier picking up third and $500. The rest of the field finished in the following order: Abar — last year’s winner — in fourth; Baker, fifth; Anderson, sixth; Wells, seventh; Clark’s 24K, eighth; Grass, ninth; in 10th was Clark’s 521; Joe Silliboy finished 11th; and rounding out the field was Haney, who finished 12th.
Event organizers Steve and Andrea Smith are already making plans for next year.
“We’d like to expand to include the Houlton Derby next year,” said Andrea Smith.
“This year we teamed up with Spud Speedway, with drivers earning points toward a championship title. Next year we’d like to include Houlton in the mix,” said Steve Smith.
Organizers were pleased with this year’s event.
“The weather held and the event was well-attended. All in all, I’d say it was a big success,” said Andrea.
Holmes was pleased with his win, although a bit surprised, considering he wasn’t driving the car he’d intended to compete in.
“I’d planned to bring my own car 55 and my father (Alan Holmes) was going to drive 83. But we had an issue with mine that couldn’t be resolved in time to make the derby, so dad offered to let me drive his car. So I guess this win is partially his,” said Holmes.
Holmes said he was grateful to all who made the win possible.
“Thanks to the great fans for coming out and supporting us, the organizers and fair folks who host the event each year and to the other drivers and their crews. But most of all, I want to thank the families who allow the participants to indulge in such a time-consuming but fun event, because without their support and understanding, this wouldn’t be possible,” said Holmes.
