Demaras Racing is helping our local hospital fight COVID-19 by spreading the word of the need for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Healthcare providers need PPE in order to safely care for patients with COVID-19. Hospitals across Ontario are facing a serious shortage of these items. Help make a difference by donating PPE items such as gloves, masks, goggles and gowns at Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East General Hospital). The PPE Drive at this specific hospital has been going on all week, but it ends today (Friday, March 27th, 2020) at 3:00 pm.

For more information visit: https://theppedrive.com/

Each day, news about “The Virus” gets worse. Schools closing, businesses closing…it’s hard to find a ray of hope. Demaras Racing will continue sharing good news about racing teams, car companies or others in the global car enthusiast community helping in this time of crisis.

One such story is from supercar manufacturer Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) based in Sleepy Hollow, NY. The company is a low-volume car manufacturer that also competes in endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus LLC acquired property at a small airport in Danbury, CT, in 2018. Since then, the round airport building has undergone conversion work to function as an automotive assembly location, with the floors getting redone as recently as this month. The company said in January that the first phase of the factory was on track for completion in May, which would enable it to build 100 road-going SCG 004s annually.

The Danbury facility is not only meant for the assembly of SCG’s road-going supercars, but it’s also a ten-minute drive from Danbury Hospital which was said to be operating already at full capacity as coronavirus infections rise.

The local hospital system currently has 200 nurses on furlough due to potential exposure to coronavirus, and that they can only return to work after testing. While this is a severe problem, the Danbury hospital being at full capacity is another, making treating COVID-19 patients in Connecticut yet more difficult.

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus offered its Danbury location to be used as a temporary hospital for as long as it took. While Glickenhaus is sure it won’t be necessary, but if worst came to worst, there would be other things on everybody’s mind than building supercars.

It’s been a challenging week in Toronto. Businesses are being asked to close, schools are shut down and there isn’t even racing to look forward to! But the weather was great this weekend, so the Demaras Racing family brought the team truck to the local coin wash. Michelle put the men to shame with her incredible scrubbing power!

When the sun came up on Monday, the snow had returned to Toronto. All the hard work and all the scrubbing bubbles went down the drain.

CORE Autosport is a race team that’s competed in IMSA Prototype Lites and GT3 Cup Championships. This year, their bit story isn’t about switching categories; it’s switching their focus and manufacturing capabilities to fill the shortage of face masks needed to combat the spread of the virus.

Racer Jon Bennett owns CORE and successful medical equipment manufacturing company Composite Resources. Bennett has re-purposed CORE’s manufacturing capabilities to help fill the need.

“The abilities we have here meant that in 24 hours, we were able to design mask prototypes and go into production. We’re very fortunate to have those capabilities to help.”

The company expects to start shipments next week.

During WWII, everyone was asked to “Do Their Part”. Even Henry Ford, who was a well known pacifist and publicly opposed US entry into World War II, eventually geared the giant Willow Run plant to produce B-24 bombers. Willow Run was the largest factory under one roof in the world. Before Willow Run, it was deemed impossible to build an aircraft on an assembly line. Ford Motor Company proved this wrong.

Today’s battle against a global virus has enlisted Formula 1 racing teams to use their cutting-edge technology to help build ventilators for coronavirus victims. On Monday the UK government put out a call to businesses that might be able to help supply ventilators or components, as well as more specific help in areas such as rapid prototyping, design and testing. This is what Formula 1 is all about!

Teams have offered to get involved and provide expertise at a time when they have capacity due to the lack of racing.

“A collective of UK-based Formula 1 teams, engine manufacturers and their respective technology arms is evaluating support for the manufacture of respiratory devices in response to the UK Government’s call for assistance. All the teams have expert design, technology and production capabilities, and specialize in rapid prototyping and high value manufacturing, which is hoped can be applied to the critical needs set out by Government. It is hoped this work, which is being rapidly progressed, will produce a tangible outcome in the next few days.”

Formula 1

FIA Statement: “Following unanimous agreement between the FIA, Formula 1 and all teams, the implementation of the Technical Regulations due to take effect from the 2021 season will be postponed until 2022.”

Translation: “Mercedes are going to win it all in 2020 and 2021.”