On Sunday morning, everything felt better. More relaxed. Even Leonard was having some fun, and looked very comfortable in the driver’s seat!
Daniel Demaras has been doing double duty in the KartStars Canada series. On Saturday he competed in Briggs Masters and came away with a podium. He returned to Innisfil Indy on Sunday to compete in the ‘catch-weight’ category, KartStars Senior. Brimming with confidence, Daniel took top spot in morning warm-up, dethroning Zach Boam, who topped every session in Briggs Senior on Saturday.
A difficult qualifying for Demaras had him starting mid-pack for both of the heat races. Daniel felt he had the speed to compete for a podium and challenge for an outright win, but he’d have to get past his competitors. Unfortunately, contact on lap one, turn one, send Daniel over the curbs for some ‘off-roading’. The plume of dust and sand kicked up by Demaras’ kart was visible from across the track. The damage was done; not only would Daniel start further in the pack than he wanted, but the curbs at Innisfil had destroyed the bottom of his IMAF seat…again.
Between sessions it was all hands on deck in the New Speed Motorsports tent. Leonard, Max and Anthony got to work changing the piston on young Rocco’s ROK engine while simultaneously replacing the seat in Daniel’s kart. Liam and his father brought a portable welder and jumped in to repair busted side pod bars and get the team ready for action again.
Leonard warned Daniel that the replacement seat was not a the same as his fiberglass IMAF. The seating position was different, Demaras would be sitting higher up, and the weight transfer in the corners would be…dramatic.
Sitting so high in the kart made Daniel understand what Max Preston described experiencing in his kart racing career. The high centre of gravity caused the kart to two-wheeling through the corners, feeling like the kart was going to roll over. Demaras had to adapt his driving style quickly.
Daniel’s lap times suffered, and his starting position in the final would be compromised, but Leonard went back to the toolbox one last time before the final to lower the seat as much as possible. D’Arrigo warned Demaras; the seat was now millimetres off the ground. Great for handling and weight distribution, but any off track excursions, any trips over the curbs, and it would be game over.
Despite starting fourth in the final race, Daniel made an aggressive pass on Cameron Hogg and took third place. Demaras closed the gap to second place in the closing laps, but nobody was going to beat Zach Boam on this day; he ran the full race uncontested.
Daniel settled for third place, behind his new rival Levon Beaudin. Demaras earned himself a double podium finish at KartStars Canada round two, proudly representing the New Speed Motorsports team.
For Daniel, seeing his friends and teammates do well is just as important as a podium finish for himself. Over the course of the weekend Daniel got to see his friend Chad Webster on the podium in Briggs Senior, teammate Rocco Simone on the Briggs Cadet podium, and little brother Matte Ferrari earn his first ROK podium, while Matte’s dad Luigi Ferrari held back tears.
Overall, a fantastic weekend for Daniel Demaras and his No. 412 New Speed Motorsports kart at Innisfil Indy. No rest for the weary though. Race 6 is coming up in only six days as TRAK returns to Goodwood Kartways.
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