Goodwood – Return to Racing

PRESS RELEASE: Goodwood Kartways Updates Private Kart Owners Lapping Protocol

In response to the most recent COVID-19 update; Goodwood Kartways will remain open in a limited capacity next week for all private kart owners and members. Following the same procedures already in place, private lapping sessions will be available only within a controlled – gate closed environment. Pre-registration will still be required for all participants. Detailed instructions are included below.

Please note the following changes:
Track session limit has increased from 10 drivers per session to 20. Each driver may be accompanied by one (1) parent/guardian or mechanic.
10 additional defined paddock spaces have been marked to accommodate the increased number of participants per session.
Confirmation of your reservation will be sent via email. Paddock spots will be assigned upon arrival at the main gate.

Session Dates & Times.
Please note that all dates and times have been added to the Calendar page of our website. Check for week-to-week availability. This program will remain in place until otherwise stated.

All other procedures will remain the same. Please see Goodwood Kartways COVID-19 Procedures & Protocols.

Mosport – Return To Racing

PRESS RELEASE: Motomaster Ron Fellows Karting Championship

The Motomaster Ron Fellows Karting Championship (MRFKC), along with the rest of the global motorsports community, has been put on hold since the stay-at-home order and bans on public gatherings were put in place both federally and provincially, due to COVID-19.

During self-quarantine our team has been working diligently on plans to return to racing later this summer. With the Province of Ontario having begun their phase one re-opening of businesses, kart racing facilities around the province have been able to offer small group practice days, trending positively for a possible return to competition.

If we are able to return to racing later this summer, a shortened season could see the MRFKC pick up the original round three event date at CTMP’s Mosport Karting Centre as the first of three events in a six-race championship. However, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the following dates will remain tentative:

July 31 – August 2, CTMP’s Mosport Karting Centre
August 28 – 30, Canadian Mini Indy, Hamilton
September 18 – 20, CTMP’s Mosport Karting Centre
October 16 – 18, Alternate date, location TBD

Protocols regarding group sizes, social distancing, mask wearing, sanitization and details of that nature will be put in place to ensure the health and safety of all participants, officials and support staff.

MRFKC is also happy to announce a new spec-tire, fuel, and oil for ROK competitors. Bridgestone will now be the official tire for MRFKC ROK classes, fuel will be VP 110, and oil will be Motul 2T. Details will be supplied in the forthcoming supplementary regulations.

The MRFKC website has been continually updating the Rules & Regulations page, be sure to check that page for any updates or changes you may have missed. Our supplementary regulations will be posted in the coming weeks.

While we continue to finalize the details of our altered season due to COVID-19, we encourage you all to continue doing your part in stopping the community spread of this virus by following the federal and provincial guidelines practicing physical and social distancing, wearing masks whenever possible along with proper hand-washing and use of disinfectants.

How cool is that?

~ by Chris Demaras ~

I have no idea who Phil Arscott is. All I know about his is that he did really, really well in a kart race in Mooresville, North Carolina, this past weekend and one of my all-time favourite racers Will Power gave the guy a shout-out on social media. How cool is that?

Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power launched his own brand of racing karts this year, creatively named Will Power Kart (WPK). Like any entrepreneur, Power is promoting his brand, and sharing success stories achieved with his racing karts.

I could probably look up Phil Arscott and find out he was 2009 US National Champion in Rotax karts, or that he’s an aerodynamicist for Team Penske (the IndyCar team Power races for) but that would take away from the hope that any kid racing a WPK and doing well will get the personal congratulations of the IndyCar champ.

Drive It Like You Stole It

It’s been an eight month stretch between September 29th, 2019 and May 30th, 2020. Exactly 244 days. The longest off-season ever! Now, Daniel Demaras finally got to drive the No. 12 PRO Intrepid Briggs & Stratton racing kart again since the 2019 season finale.

Using a tired practice engine and worn-out tires, Daniel took his first tentative laps at Goodwood Kartways. Sure, the track is familiar, but his body just wasn’t reacting the same way. His hands felt sore from gripping the steering wheel for a few laps.

But there was no pressure. No attempt at a record lap. Just a great afternoon at Goodwood Kartways trading laps with friends and former teammates Chad and Logan. With social distancing measures still in place, the Ferrari family had wrapped up their morning session and were on the way back home by the time Demaras hit the track. But seeing old friends, even for a few minutes, made everything feel normal again.

While Chris Demaras did not get to go out on track, he was the star of the paddock in his new “Drive It Like You Stole It” shirt, courtesy of Reeve Webster Racing.

Demaras Racing looks forward to the next outing on track, and the start of the 2020 racing season.

WPK on Track

If there’s one racer who’s career has inspired the drivers at Demaras Racing to persevere, it’s Will Power. After so much adversity, he’s now a champion. Plus, the name; Will Power.

How can you not be a fan of this guy!

This season, Power launched his own brand of race karts. Michelle, Daniel and Chris were thrilled that their IndyCar racing hero would also be racing karts, just like the Demaras family.

The worldwide interruption of racing resulted in a false start though. The March race debut for the Will Power Kart was cancelled on Friday the 13th. With race tracks starting to re-open, and life returning to normal it’s exciting to see the WPK on track across the US.

The Art of Racing

Michelle Demaras is the youngest member of the racing team. Her skills on road and off road are developing nicely. But her artistic ability leaves everyone else eating her dust!

During the great shutdown of 2020, K1 RaceGear had a contest for budding artists to design a new race suit. It was a four week colouring contest, with winners receiving $50 gift cards, $250 gift cards…and the overall winner seeing their design come to life!

It’s time to kick off the K1 custom suit design contest. Download one of the weekly image files. Color it and submit to the contest. New winners chosen for each contest. Weekly winners will be chosen and entered into a final “Fan Vote Bracket” to be decided on K1 RaceGear’s Twitter.
The winning suit will be produced by K1 for the winning driver and worn in competition.

Soon-to-be 11 year-old Michelle is hopes to win the contest, and see her pastel harlequin rainbow suit proudly worn on a podium!

Racers Continue to Help

It’s the little things that help.

Pro Racing Ontario and Daniel Demaras helped Michael Garron Hospital reach its target of 10,000 3D printed face shields during the peak of the pandemic.

Now, things are getting better, and starting to return to normal. Race tracks like Mosport Karting Centre are carefully re-opening as part of Ontario’s Road to Recovery, but Timmers, Fox and Demaras continue to help healthcare heroes by 3D printing ‘ear-savers‘.

Anyone who has worn an ear-loop mask (surgical mask) knows they can become very uncomfortable after a few hours of use. An ‘ear-saver’ is a lightweight, 3D printed strap worn behind the head, allowing the ear-loops to hook onto the ‘ear-saver’ rather than the wearer’s ears. It is designed to ease pressure and friction on the ears, making it much more comfortable to wear a mask.

This first batch of 100+ ‘ear-savers’ are being donated to front-line workers at Michael Garron Hospital who have to wear face masks for hours a day to protect themselves and their patients.

The plan is to continue 3D printing ‘ear-savers’ for local hospitals, until all the donated filament is exhausted. The ‘ear-saver’ is a small, simple thing, but it helps front line medical staff, who are working hard to take care of the rest of us!

The race to help healthcare heroes isn’t over! Anyone can create and donate PPE for local hospitals. To learn how, visit https://www.mghf.ca/fightcovid19

Returning to Goodwood

The race season hasn’t started yet, and neither Daniel nor Chris have turned so much as a practice lap on track yet, but the Demaras Racing team returned to Goodwood Kartways over the weekend. This plan was chores; hauling the tools and spare parts up to Garage K12. But just being at the track brought a smile to Chris’ face.

Goodwood has opened the track for private kart owners to practice, but spectators and walk-ins are not allowed. There were a few racers on track who pre-booked their socially distant paddock spaces (24’ x 20’ separated by 12’ x 20’ vacant spots). Friend of the family Matte Ferrari showed off his new Tony Kart.

Goodwood Kartways also announced that drivers registered for the 2020 CRKC campaign would be allowed to practice in the A&D karts. The first session was this past Sunday, where a handful of drivers knocked the rust off by turning laps in the Intrepid karts.

With all this track activity, there’s only so long a racer can wait. Daniel Demaras will be on track this weekend.

Le Grand Rendezvous

Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc filmed his scenes in the remake of the controversial 1976 short film ‘C’etait un Rendezvous‘ on Sunday. Director Claude Lelouch is back, but this time his driver is racing through the streets of Monte Carlo.

Leclerc drove a Ferrari SF90 Stradale road car at speeds up to 240 km/h as interested onlookers Prince Albert of Monaco and Ferrari chairman John Elkann kept a safe distance. In line with physical distancing guidelines, everyone on set wore face masks.

A Ferrari press release described it

“The car’s blistering engine soundtrack broke a long dry spell for Prancing Horse enthusiasts and tifosi alike. Most importantly of all, however, the roar of its hybrid V8, sent out a message of optimism and signaled a first step towards the return of motorsport, film and social life as we endeavour to put the pandemic behind us through mutually responsible behaviour, commitment and solidarity.”

The new film ‘Le Grand Rendezvous‘ is set to make its premiere on June 13.

C’etait une Urgence

Classic car dealer, collector and journalist Simon Kidston has filmed a modern remake of the classic 1976 short film ‘C’était un Rendezvous‘ to gather donations for the Italian Red Cross.

The coronavirus is a worldwide problem, but Italy has been especially hard hit. Doctors and nurses work under conditions that are difficult to imagine in the western world. Kidston’s launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the Italian Red Cross by using his video ‘C’etait une Urgence‘ to request donations. The new video follows the formula laid out in the original, only this time, the driver tears through the streets of Rome, in what appears to be an ambulance. At the end of the video, the driver hands over an aid package to a Red Cross nurse in front of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti church above the Spanish Steps, mimicking the final scene of the French original, where the driver broke every traffic law in France to meet his girlfriend (1967 Miss Sweden Gunilla Friden) at the Sacre-Coeur.

“You’ve seen the original 1970s movie, racing through Paris at dawn, which nearly landed the director in jail. So we asked ourselves: when better during our lifetimes to repeat the feat than now, with empty streets, to raise money for charity and help COVID victims? And which more beautiful city to race through than Rome? Here it is: please give something to the Italian Red Cross and spare a thought for your friends behind bars!”
Simon Kidston