Changing conditions (and changing engines) was the theme of the day. Skies threatening rain greeted the drivers on Sunday morning. Vallis Motor Sport was busy swapping out the 1200 cc powerplant on the No. 95 car, unable to track down the issue that impacted its speed. The No. 12 car sat silently nearby…ready.
A damp but drying track was the setting for Late Summer Trophy Race 2, but conditions would change dramatically as the rain would pour down on the last lap.
Demaras was running P4, missed the 3-4 shift on the Andretti Straight, and lost a position. But an aggressive overtake on the last lap and final corner re-asserted his starting spot for the final. Jump to the 27:00 minute mark in the video below to see it all go down.
In the Final Race, Demaras started P4, got a great start, and was running P2 after the first sequence of corners. Demaras attempted a pass on the back straight, but tucked back in behind the No. 176 of Phil Wang, when disaster struck. The champ’s rear left tire touched the grass as he entered Turn 10, causing him to spin, and make contact with the wall. Daniel avoided collision and took the lead of the race.
Racing resumed after the safety car period, and positions in the Top 5 were swapped every few corners. A dramatic collision right in front of the No. 12 brought out a second safety car, and an early end to the race. Demaras drove the No. 12 home in P3, avoiding incidents, and earning his first real podium of the 2022 season.
