A couple weeks ago, a picture of Chris Demaras appeared in the Toronto Star newspaper. A friend commented to Chris that he was Toronto Famous; in other words not famous… just known locally.
Demaras Racing’s primary driver Daniel Demaras has gotten a lot more press. Having been around the race track most of his life, he ended up in The Varsity newspaper, and Inside Track magazine. Four years after attending Race Lab (rally school) a shot of Daniel’s blue Subaru is still being used in advertisements, with Daniel at the wheel in snowy terrain.
Six years ago, long before he ever stepped up from karts to race cars, Daniel took part in the F2000 Experience at Toronto Motorsports Park (TMP). The track owns a fleet of open-wheel race cars with big wings; that look like scaled down IndyCars. Excited young Daniel arrived at the track that day in full racing suit and hi-viz yellow helmet; the perfect kid to interview.
The video of that day still pops up on TMP’s social media feed each year.
Way back in May 2009, Daniel and the Demaras Racing family were at the IndyFest, a promotional event held at Yonge-Dundas Square. Event organizers brought several race cars, future IndyCar stars (like James Hinchcliffe) and one Indy show-car.
Five-year-old Daniel was chosen to sit in the IndyCar and high-five racer Rafael Matos. The photograph ended up on the front cover of the Toronto Sun the next day; a framed copy has been on the ‘Wall of Fame’ at Demaras Racing HQ since then. That event really set in motion a lifetime of racing.
Awe how good is that!
Good times. Love looking back at those moments.
You have to, memories are all we will take with us.
Agreed. That’s also why it’s important to spend as much as possible on go-fast car parts. You can’t take it with you.
Exactly!
Wow, you guys are really famous. I still haven’t seen that article showing you, Chris, and the reporter, driving through downtown Toronto in your Christmas decorated truck.
Not ‘really’ famous Rubens, just Toronto Famous.
And here’s the article from the Toronto Star. I’m getting it laminated and framed, and will put in in the living room until my wife takes it down and buries it in the basement!
https://demaras.com/2025/12/20/we-made-the-newspaper/
Good stuff!
Absolutely. Good memories.
True 🙂