CARLISLE | -- A circle of flowers and a circle of friends surround Jesse Malast's deep blue Dodge Neon in the bright sunshine at the third annual Carlisle Custom Compact Nationals.
A big poster on the windshield of the customized car bears a photo of Jesse along with the words: ''In loving memory…4-15-82 to 5-1-03…We'll miss you.'' A smaller sign promises: ''Jesse, you will never be forgotten.'' On the front bumper is a small picture of Jesse in third grade.

Late Wednesday night, 21-year-old Jesse was working under his car to get it ready for this weekend's competition. The front wheels were off. A jack collapsed and the car crushed him. The Whitehall man died early Thursday in Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Jesse's friends are honoring him by showing his car at the three-day show, which continues today at Carlisle Fairgrounds. They know how much Jesse loved the Neon and how hard he worked on it. That's why they took it to the show despite the fact he was fatally injured beneath it.

''He died doing what he loved,'' said 21-year-old Nicole Nederostek of Coplay. ''He would want the car to be here.''

Shortly after noon Saturday, Nederostek brought 200 carnations, daisies and pompons, which were placed around the Neon, adding to flowers already drying in front of it.

''He always wanted me to come with him to a car show,'' she said. ''This is the time I promised him I would come.''

Some of the tens of thousands of people admiring the 4,000 cars at the show saw the flowers and signs around the Neon, asked what happened, then told the young adults they were very sorry and they hoped Jesse's car wins.

Eight friends maintained a vigil with the car all day Friday. On Saturday, their number increased to 15. Most of them called Jesse their best friend. Some had been his friend since elementary school, when they lived in the same neighborhood in Egypt, Whitehall Township.

''They're living his dream for him,'' said Cindy Malast, Jesse's mom. ''I think that's fantastic. I love them all for doing it.''

Occasionally one of them would wipe the car to removed the fairgrounds' dust. Occasionally one of them would break down and accept the embrace of the others. Still in shock, several said they had had little sleep since the accident. Most talked about the last time they saw or talked with Jesse.

Steve Flores, 19, of Whitehall was with Jesse when the accident happened late Wednesday.

They were working on the car at Nederostek's house, which has a garage with lights. Flores was only a couple of feet away when Jesse went under the Neon to change a washer on an undercarriage light. Concerned that the car might fall, Flores looked for a jack stand or block to add support. He heard a pop and saw the car had dropped. He called Jesse's name but Jesse didn't answer. After trying to lift the car, Flores got another jack to raise it off Jesse.

Jesse went under the Neon to change a washer on an undercarriage light.