Hollywood actor and TV star Patrick Dempsey is again racing Porsches once more, however thanks the Ferrari film for relighting his motorsport fireplace.
Whereas many know him finest for taking part in ‘McDreamy’ in TV’s smash hit Gray’s Anatomy, it was Patrick Dempsey’s sensible movement image portrayal of Italian racing ace Piero Taruffi in Michael Mann’s Enzo Ferrari biopic that acquired his aggressive juices flowing once more.
Dempsey’s real-life racing previous included him scaling “his Everest” by standing on the rostrum of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, ending second for Porsche within the GTE-Am class. However after the 2015 season, through which he each drove and ran a crew within the World Endurance Championship, his household life demanded that he returned to taking part in the function of ‘Dad’.
Now, along with his youngsters grown up, and the age of 60 approaching, he climbed again behind the wheel of a racecar in 2024, contesting Porsche’s buyer racing collection in a 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, and starred in a fly-on-the-wall documentary collection on Hagerty’s YouTube channel.
“As a result of I did all of the driving in Ferrari, I actually forgot how a lot I missed it and the way a lot I actually wanted it,” says Dempsey, who speaks to duPont REGISTRY straight after a follow session at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. “Simply psychologically, there’s one thing about getting behind the wheel and driving it on the restrict. It’s simply actually cleaning for the soul and for the thoughts, and that basically type of acquired me going nicely, you recognize, wouldn’t or not it’s good to get again right into a racecar?
“After 2015, I needed to be residence for my youngsters on the sacrifice of racing, which was a full-time dedication. It was nice to be on the pinnacle of endurance racing, and successful the race in Fuji [the legendary racetrack in Japan] was like successful a championship for me, it was an unimaginable expertise. It’s laborious to high that.
“However you need to be disciplined, you need to sacrifice and quit some stuff, and it took an enormous toll on my household. Now, my youngsters are about to graduate highschool. My daughter’s via faculty and I’ve acquired somewhat bit extra free time to have the ability to get again into it. However the catalyst was actually getting behind the wheel and driving these vehicles within the Ferrari film.”
One other step alongside the highway was Dempsey taking over the problem of Mexico’s famed Carrera Panamericana in 2023: “I had such a good time doing the highway race in Mexico, it jogged my memory of the Baja, besides you keep on the principle roads, and I simply actually wanted to strive it. And that was it, I hadn’t misplaced the eagerness. It’s part of who I’m, and I must do it.”
Dempsey is an unabashed automotive fanatic, and his ever-expanding assortment is simply constrained by the house at his houses in Malibu and his native Maine.
And his love of Porsches runs deep, as we inquire what he presently owns: “I’m ready on the Dakar proper now. I’ve the R that I acquired in 2015. My 356 from 1963, a Coupe from 1964, a ’72 T that’s within the assortment, and I’ve acquired my little tractor too, the Junior.
“I’m presently doing driving the Turbo, which I actually love as a day by day driver. It’s implausible. I simply acquired my daughter the Macan, so she’s actually having fun with that automotive. And my spouse has the Targa, so we’re full-on Porsche household, and my boys love them too.”
The 356 has a backstory of its personal, because it was his dream automotive buy after showing in Can’t Purchase Me Love in 1987.
“I spent my complete paycheck on that automotive; I believe I acquired the automotive for $8000 or $9000,” he remembers. “In all probability the very best funding I’ve ever had! You understand, to this present day it simply makes me smile, and it’s really easy to keep up. I’ve had a number of totally different manufacturers, a number of totally different vehicles, however there’s nothing like that. It’s unimaginable, and it’s been with me for over 30 years-plus now.”
So, what’s subsequent for Dempsey, on his Porsche racing odyssey?
“There’s a bunch of different races I’d love to do, just like the Mille Miglia, that’s a difficult race and I’d prefer to have that have – a few of these basic occasions,” he muses. “We’re actually type of discussing what can be subsequent yr’s program.
“I really like the Carrera Cup racing. I believe when you’re stepping into sport, if you are able to do it, that’s the very best place to be. So, I’d like to do some Cup races as nicely. It simply actually depends upon sponsorship, funding after which availability with scheduling, after which testing, that’s the necessary factor.
“I’m lucky sufficient to have the ability to have this chance, it’s simply the enjoyment of driving and competing, it’s simply unimaginable.”
This text appeared in our February 2025 Challenge.
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