Andre Laurin is excited to announce that Demi Chalkias will make her debut next weekend, May 20th/22nd, for Team OTSFF/MOTUL at the legendary Canadian Tire Motorsport Park circuit in Bowmanville, ON. Laurin and team co-owner Bill Clubine will enter Chalkias – piloting a 2021 Hyundai Veloster – in the Canadian FEL Motorsports’ TCR Championship series. Chalkias, who has already established a number of precedents in the male-dominated sport of sports car racing, will be the first woman to compete in the volatile TCR class.

“For OTSFF, this program will introduce a new era for the company’s racing activities in Canada. We’ve been inactive in our own country since 2019, when we folded our long-running motocross, supercross and arenacross program. Needless to say, we’re beyond thrilled to be racing again on our own soil. Well, asphalt in this case and not the off-road stuff for which we are best known.

Bill and I are especially pumped to have an amazing talent like Demi Chalkias taking the seat in our Hyundai Veloster and are looking forward to having her race for us,” Laurin said. “For me personally, I have a long history with Mosport [Canadian Tire Motorsport Park] and raced there many times in the past. It’s a great Canadian track with a fascinating racing history that dates back to the early nineteen-sixties. So, to be there for Demi’s debut with the team on Victoria Day long weekend is something I wouldn’t want to miss for anything in the world.”

Laurin’s OTSFF Sports Marketing Group is no newcomer to helping further the cause of women in motorsports, having won numerous Canadian pro women’s motocross and arenacross races, not to mention a few championships along the way, with the likes of Heidi Cooke, Jocelyn Facciotti, Jolene Van Vugt and Angela Vacchino.

For Bowmanville, Ontario’s Chalkias, her start next weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (her home track), will be the first time she does so as a pro racing team member. In addition to winning numerous individualCanadian Automobile Sports Clubs (CASC) races, Chalkias, who started racing in 2015, claimed the GT4 Pirelli Sprint Championship in 2018. In 2020 she became the first woman to win the GT3 Pirelli Sprint Championship. Furthermore, Chalkias was awarded the Race Ontario Muriel Knap Trophy in 2019, for competing on an equal basis as the men and exemplify sportsmanship, positive attitude, and determination. Demi will be bringing two personal sponsors with her to OTSFF/MOTUL: Utility Advocates and Interworld. We welcome them to the team.

“My ride with OTSFF/MOTUL will allow me to take my racing to the next level and that’s exactly what my goal is, to show what I’m really capable of behind the wheel of a sports car. I am completely elated with this development, after being in the sport for seven years as a privateer.

Anybody who is serious about racing dreams of being signed by a pro team and for me this is a bit like a dream come true. I’m really looking forward to driving the #54 Veloster for Team OTSFF/MOTUL and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that has been presented to me by Andre and Bill,” Chalkias said.

Demi Chalkias will be entering the following events for Team OTSFF/MOTUL in 2022: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, ON (Victoria Day Speedfest), May 20/22; Calabogie Motorsports Park, Calabogie, ON (Spring Classic), June 3/4/5; Calabogie Motorsports Park (Summer Classic), August 19/20/21; Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Labour Day Sprints), September 2/3/4. Additional event TBA.