Despite racing being spread out over three days, there was still a 7:45 AM driver’s meeting at the 2024 VARAC Vintage Grand Prix. No rest for the wicked, and no sleeping in on a race weekend! The smart competitors stayed overnight in their camper trailers, while others had to get up at 5:30 am to make the drive across Hwy 407 to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
The first time out on track for the Formula 1200 cars was a combined session with cars like Formula Fords, Formula 4 and every other kind of open wheel car at the event. Racing open-wheel cars is a completely different discipline, and the old rubbin’ is racin’ adage might be OK for tin-tops, but not for formula cars.
While the racers show tremendous respect on track, the difference in speed from one category to another is nerve wracking.
The sanctioning body for the Vintage Grand Prix is VARAC, the Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada. It’s the the main vintage racing club in Canada. All VARAC members share a desire to preserve, restore and race historically significant cars in a form as close to the original specification as possible.
Many of these vintage open-wheel cars were raced hard then thrown on the scrap heap of history when the new models came out the following year. There’s so few left that VARAC has high-powered cars with wings and slicks sharing the track with more diminutive cars.
The Formula 1200s are quite interesting. They make up the largest racing group in the Formula Classic grid, and provide the most competitive racing all weekend long. It’s not uncommon for 4-5 F1200s cars to spend the entire race nose to tail, swapping the lead every lap. The BRD F1200 cars are among the newest vehicles in field, and the drivers are definitely not out to do parade laps.
Unfortunately for Demaras, the highly competitive nature of the F1200s mean that his engine’s power deficiency couldn’t be hidden. As a race winner and F1200 series champion, Demaras certainly knows the racing line around Mosport. The lap times from morning practice showing the car more than 5 seconds off the pace were not attributable to the driver.
Team boss and engine builder Bill Vallis got to work diagnosing the problem.
After checking for a twisted throttle cable, Off came the engine over. Vallis ran a series of checks, then set the timing and began to run the engine at high RPMs. Daniel’s complaint about the car was that while speeding down the Andretti Straight, the 1200 cc powerplant would not rev above 4000 RPM, That’s a major problem for a motor that makes maximum power between 5000 and 6000 RPM.
Bill Vallis re-checked the timing after the high RPM test and found the timing was not as he’d set it. Something was mechanically wrong with the distributor, so it was replaced with a new part.
While driving in the draft, the slip-steam behind other race cars, the No. 12 performed better, and shaved 3 seconds off the lap time. But the problem had not been solved. When running by itself, the car simply lacked power and could not muster anything better than a 1 minute 49.625 second lap, more than two and a half seconds off the pole sitters time.
While disappointed with the result, at least Demaras would be starting P3 and could make progress from there. Back to the track on Saturday morning for the first of four races.
Finally. I’ve been waiting all day for a Demaras Racing post and you didn’t disappoint.
I took notes. I watched the videos but i cannot tell a lie. I watched enough to get the jist so I did not watch every minute like a football coach watching footage.
However, I am impressed that you squatted on the back axle in the first video to get that cool angle.
I went all out and watched the video *with sound* in deference to demaras racing.
Also, I am glad you know someone who could check for a twisted throttle cable, as I personally was today years old when I heard of such a thing.
Wishing Daniel all the best on Saturday!
That VGP event is the longest race weekend of our year. 4 days at the track can be tiring! Then back to work on Monday and by mid-week the videos ain’t even out the GoPro yet.
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Glad you are enjoying the videos and pics and story of the weekend.
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If you liked that first video (with the odd angle) please check out this one from 2022 that’s just as cool: https://youtu.be/hQWgDfTxHW4?si=dMLjZGbU2RB6rK2p
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And yes, we are VERY lucky to have Bill Vallis turning wrenches. He is so experienced and knows just what to do to make the car faster.
Sounds like a full-throttle weekend at the 2024 VARAC Vintage Grand Prix! From early morning driver meetings to preserving historic cars, it’s a blend of passion and adrenaline on the track.
It’s just so cool that one of the largest vintage racing events in the world (certainly the biggest in Canada) happens less than an hour from our home.
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But like you said, it’s just GO GO GO for 4 days straight. What a blast!