Daniel Demaras spent his first year racing at Mosport, but at the end of the year, Toronto-based Demaras decided to make local Goodwood his home track and join a new team: PRO.
The decision to join Professional Racing Ontario was easy. Daniel already knew PRO’s Darryl Timmers through A&D driver training two years earlier. PRO had the knowledge and experience to help take a rookie racer into the deeper waters of Briggs Sr. Plus, Daniel realized his dad didn’t know a lug nut from walnut and PRO could provide a private mechanic.
PRO is big enough that whether racing Junior or Senior, Rok or Briggs, drivers will have teammates to work with. With guidance, wrenching and analysis from winning racers like Eric Gerrits, Andrew Waring, Christopher Proietto and Gianmarco Raimondo, racers under the PRO tent are well taken care of.
The heart and soul or PRO is Darryl Timmers and Curtis Fox, two veteran racers who have committed to helping young racers and their families achieve their best racing results.
Daniel spent countless days with 2017 National Karting Champ Darryl Timmers who provided Demaras with individual driver training sessions. Darryl’s patience with young drivers stands out among karting coaches.
Between running one of the most successful teams in the paddock and winning “Grand Nationals” at New Castle, Curtis Fox taught Daniel about data acquisition and helped him understand the impact of setup changes.
In the off-season, PRO held team building exercises like Indoor Karting Days at local tracks in the dead of winter. Combined with team awards ceremonies recognizing on track success, the team developed strong personal bonds that will last for years.
Even during the covid-19 shutdown didn’t stop PRO from working as a team. Daniel Demaras wanted to do more to help local Michael Garron Hospital, and brought PRO the idea of using their 3D printer to make emergency face shields for healthcare heroes. It was a huge success.
As announced earlier in the year, PRO has big plans for 2020. They’re helping run the newly christened Mosport Karting Centre, distributing Charles Leclerc Karts and running both a club support program and a National Race Team. The commitment to the sport they love is very clear.
PRO will not be at Goodwood Kartways in 2020, but that is not by choice. Some have described it as a ‘conflict of interest’ for PRO to be at Goodwood while involved in running a competing track, yet for years, teams from tracks like Innisfil and Hamilton have been in the Goodwood paddock. PRO certainly haven’t ‘banned’ anybody from competing at Mosport Karting Centre that they help operate. They’re making a change and getting back to the reason why they’re involved in the sport they love so much.
For reasons beyond his control, Daniel’s home team will not be at his home track. For two years Daniel has felt like part of the PRO family, but he will not be racing with PRO at Mosport Karting Centre in 2020. Demaras will continue to be ‘Powered by PRO‘ as they’ll be supplying race engines for Daniel’s 2020 campaign. So there’s still a bit of PRO blue on Daniel’s kart, and in his heart.
We miss you guys under the tent!
It’s not the end, Stephan. You and Chris Demaras still go to the same barbershop.
Ahhh “Mario” you make our hearts smile. Family is forever our brother