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Patrick Dempsey: “Real Men Wear Pink”

Daytona Beach, FL – Actor/race driver Patrick Dempsey and his Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 team are being sponsored by the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in this weekend’s Rolex24 at Daytona.

Dempsey qualified the Mazda for his team, and he will be joined in the 24-hour endurance race by mentor Joe Foster, Charles Espenlaub, Tim Lewis Jr. And Jep Thornton. To place emphasis on the Avon Foundation, the hood of the car is painted in pink. “Real Mean Wear Pink,” Dempsey said during the press conference preceding the race.

The Foundation and Dempsey jointly announced the creation of the Dempsey Racing Challenge, a contest to spur fundraising for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The top fundraiser in each of the nine 2009 Avon Walks will get to meet Dempsey and his team as special guests at the 2010 Rolex24.

The fundraising minimum for the Avon Walk is $1,800 per walker and many participants are expected to raise more than that. To date, the Avon Walk for Breast Caner has attracted nearly 100,000 participants and raised more than $265 million.

The charismatic Dempsey is best known to television fans as Dr. McDreamy on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy but to race goers, he is known as a racer. Four years ago, he got his first taste of competition in the Toyota Pro-Celebrity race in the streets of Long Beach and the event served as a springboard to his professional driving career.

Two years ago he competed in the Grand American Koni Challenge Series and in 2008, he stepped up to the GT division of the Rolex Series. For 2009, he assumed ownership responsibilities.

“I am proud to be part of the Rolex Series, and I really want to win a race,” Dempsey said. “I am lucky to be racing this year when a number of other teams are not, and the support I get from the other drivers is incredible.” At each race, Dempsey draws throngs of fans and he goes out of his way to talk with his supporters, sign autographs and pose for pictures.

Dempsey trains on a regular basis to improve on his stamina. He said more seat time is needed as are realistic goals to do well. “I am starting the Rolex race, as I want to put myself in a situation to gain more experience. I will take it easy at the beginning, to get a good rhythm going. I know we have the pace to compete, so we will have to see how it goes.”

Scheduling is a challenge for Dempsey and since his television and film commitments pay the bills, his time for racing is limited. But he plans to race as often as possible in 2009.

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