Dempsey Racing Discontinues U.S. Operations

Photo: IMSA

While the brand will live on in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Patrick Dempsey’s new GTE-Am effort run by Proton Competition, the Dempsey Racing operational entity will cease to exist, with no current plans to enter the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in 2015.

Speaking with Sportscar365, team co-owner Joe Foster confirmed the change of direction, which has resulted in the majority of the Georgia-based organization having been laid off, as the Hollywood actor/racer focuses primarily on his international endeavors next year.

“There won’t be a Dempsey Racing operational entity in the U.S. It just doesn’t [make financial sense],” Foster told Sportscar365. “By just doing the long races, you can’t sustain kind of shop, people and stuff you need to do that unless you have another [full-season] program.

“At the moment, based on the budget comparison and the media value comparison of WEC vs TUDOR and what Patrick would like to do with his career, the business model makes sense for him to go to Europe and downsize in the U.S.”

Despite reports of Dempsey and Foster going their separate ways, Foster said he still remains a co-owner in the Dempsey Racing brand but has decided not to take part in the FIA WEC effort next year, which will be operated by the German Proton squad.

On the U.S. front, Dempsey is expected to participate in select TUDOR Championship events, potentially under the Dempsey Racing brand, but with Wright Motorsports operating the entry.

As for Foster, who has been with Dempsey as a business partner since the team’s formation in 2002, he’s working to field entries in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama next year, but under a different team name.

“I’ve had some choices to make,” Foster said. “I’m at the point in my life where I’ve had a fantastic run. I’m 49 years old, have won championships at the pro level and have nothing to prove. I elected not to participate in the WEC program.

“I will probably do other things in the U.S. that’s outside of the [Dempsey Racing] brand as well. I have some GT3 Cup customers that are friends and you’ll see me potentially doing something on my own there.

“I’m talking with a bunch of different people about other things, such as coaching, maybe even outside of racing.”

Despite the closure of the team’s operations, Foster said every staff member that was laid off has found work elsewhere, including team manager Greg Cates, who has recently become the new team manager for Magnus Racing.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John