This third time out on track in the VMS F1200 car might be the last chance in 2021 for Daniel Demaras. It’s November, and the weather is turning cold. The track feels slick. The sun is setting earlier, and limited light makes lapping TMP along with GT cars a little sketchy.
Two F1200 cars have been prepared; the No. 27 for Daniel, and the No. 38 for Jason, a veteran A&D racer from the Mosport Karting Centre. The cars have a full racing of season on them, and they’re likely due for a rebuild this winter, but nobody is looking at lap times today. Just another chance to test out the F1200 in low-grip conditions.
Bill Davis checks the oil level on the racecar, and re-torques the lug nuts, more out of habit. Bill Vallis tightens up Daniel’s safety harness and gives some words of encouragement and warning. With only two other cars lapping today, so not much rubber has been put down. The tires will feel like they’re made of plastic, and with the air temperature so low, the rubber will actually get colder on track.
Lupus Grand Prix winner, Jason, brought out the big guns. Coaching him was Aaron, a professional racing driver with IMSA Prototype Challenge and Lamborghini Super Trofeo series on his resume. Aaron is an expert with the GoPro (and deserves some sponsorship from the GoPro company) and generously helped get Daniel’s HERO 7 securely attached to the roll bar on the No. 27.
Back on track, Demaras was comfortable. Yes, the zipper on his race suit broke and it was being held closed by duct tape. Yes the wind chilled Daniel to his core. But the car is getting more familiar to him. So, as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.
Demaras stayed out on track well after his extremities went numb, only coming into the pits when instructed to by Bill, because the car was running out of gas. Daniel toughed it out through three sessions, including a few minutes where snow began falling.
With the 1200 cc engines engines at the end of their service schedule, and Daniel’s race suit clearly at the end of its life, the 2021 lapping sessions may well and truly be over. The race cars were loaded back into the hauler for the short trip back to the VMS shop in Welland where the cars will be stripped down and rebuilt for another season of racing.
Daniel has become a bit of a regular in Cayuga. Starting off as a thrill-seeker last year, driving around in the track boss’ Ferrari and his F2000 cars. This year, Demaras has become very familiar with Toronto Motorsports Park, getting in multiple lapping days in both his Subaru WRX and Valls’ F1200 cars. Looking forward to returning next spring.
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