Having followed in the footsteps, or rather driving shoes, of Hollywood legends like Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, the ex-Grey’s Anatomy actor also doubled as a racing driver.
Since 2004, Patrick Dempsey has competed in 68 races, including taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times. The report from Motorsport that he just called it quits, then, came as a surprise, especially since in 2015 he scored his best-ever result at Le Mans, finishing second (along with Peter Long and Marco Seefried) in the GTE Am class in a Porsche 911 RSR and winning the FIA World Endurance Championship race at Fuji.
Last year wasn’t all good news, though, as he departed from the hit TV show that earned him the nickname “Dr. McDreamy” and his 16-year marriage to Jillian Fink ended. The pair has since reconciled, and now he’s decided racing has taken a back seat to other priorities.
“At this point in my life, after an amazing season thanks to my friends at Porsche and TAG Heuer, I need to take a step back and focus on both my family and my acting career”, said the 50-year old actor.
“My motorsports journey has been a rewarding one and allowed me to meet so many interesting people. I have loved being part of part of different teams and sharing the experience with so many great friends. I want to thank everyone who made this possible and helped me along the way. I also wanted to especially thank the fans for their support and friendship.”
He also thanked Porsche and stated that he will remain attached to motorsport as a team owner of Dempsey-Proton Racing, there’s no indication though that he intends to return.
“Life has taught me that it is impossible to predict the future. I am excited to see what kind of journey I can make and enjoy”, he quipped. Going out when you’re on a high is not a bad choice; never say never, though…
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