From the Track to the Arts
The Racing to End Alzheimer’s/BimmerWorld team is comprised of a diverse group of individuals who’ve come together to pursue success on the racetrack. While an IMSA championship is the ultimate goal, we love to see members of our team doing amazing things off the track as well. This week, we’d like to highlight Nick Galante, driver of our #80 BMW M4GT4 – and a seriously talented sculpture artist. From adversity to victory Flash back to 2009, when Nick was competing for the masters’ championship in the Jim Russell F3 Championship series. His fledgling driving career showed promise, but the funding required for each race presented a significant financial burden. Despite the added stress, Galante was driving well and had a real shot at winning the championship. Then disaster struck. Hot on the heels of the leader in a mid-season race at Sears Point, Nick crashed going into turn two, completely wrecking the LOLA F3 racecar he was driving. Although he suffered only minor injuries, the financial consequences of the crash were potentially devastating. Galante exhibited his trademark determination, convincing the series to give him some leeway on the payment schedule for the crash damage so he could continue driving. He came out of that season with a championship – and the costly remains of the crashed LOLA F3. The art and spirit of racing Fast forward to 2020. Galante had a few more championships under his belt and was driving the r2endalz/BimmerWorld #80 racecar in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Out of nowhere, disaster struck again – this time in the form of a season-halting global pandemic. With a newborn daughter and paused income stream, Nick was forced to once again tap into his reserves of resourcefulness and grit. And much like the 2009 Jim Russell F3 Championship series, what has emerged from this period of uncertainty is triumph. Fittingly, Nick has used the saved wreckage of the crashed LOLA F3 to create an artistic homage to the wonder and beauty of racecar aerodynamics. Each of his one-of-a-kind sculptures is made from a cross section of the LOLA FJR-50 F3’s wing – enclosed in carbon fiber, set at its precise racing angle and connected to a concrete base with race grade stainless steel hardware. These pieces are not made in a factory; they are crafted by the caring hands of a driver paying tribute to his car. Each painstaking detail, each bump, bruise, and battle scar, tells a story. Beyond their unique beauty, every sculpture represents the relationship between man and machine – and the spirit of pushing past adversity in pursuit of victory. For us here at Racing to End Alzheimer’s and BimmerWorld, that’s what motorsports is all about. Thanks, Nick.
18 to Remember
18 to Remember ProAm LPGA Golf TournamentApril 25, 2022Palos Verdes Golf Club With the IMSA season in full swing, much of the Racing to End Alzheimer’s Foundation’s focus has been on motorsports. But on April 25th, Founder Phil Frengs and his crew turned their attention to a different kind of driving…and chipping and putting. The highly anticipated 18 to Remember Golf Tournament benefitting UCLA’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program brought together amateurs and LPGA pros for a day of golf and philanthropy that resulted in over $100,000 raised for the cause. Charity, Competition and Camaraderie A far cry from the usual high-speed, high-adrenaline scenes from the racetrack, the 18 to Remember ProAm golf tournament was held at Palos Verdes Golf Club’s idyllic, peaceful course. The venue’s rolling hills and world-class course design, along with unparalleled Southern California spring weather, promised a day to remember for everyone involved. Despite the serenity of the location, a healthy dose of friendly rivalry made for an exhilarating event. Carrie Forsyth, Head Coach for UCLA Women’s Golf for 23 years and counting, recruited an impressive roster of 11 LPGA pros (10 of them former UCLA players) to lead a foursome of amateurs each in a rousing round of competitive golf. Following lunch at the club, participants were paired with pros Fatima Fernandez Cano, Brianna Do, Tiffany Joh, Alison Lee, Mo Martin, Lee Lopez, Ryann O’Toole, Louise Ridderstrom, Maiya Tanaka, Patty Tavatanakit and Mariajo Uribe – all of whom are women at the pinnacle of the sport. Add dozens of highly motivated amateurs, and there was plenty of high-quality skill and high-spirited camaraderie to go around. A Win, On and Off the Course Conditions at this hidden gem of a course favor the accurate, as natural hazards and westerly ocean breezes present unique challenges on each hole. Fortunately for the winning team of Roger Stewart, David Wright, Jim Flick and Peter Fortune (led by Tiffany Joh), a combination of pure swings and effective strategy from tee box to green carried the day. Coming in a respectable second were Jack Yeh, Chad Hammel, Alex Martinez and Stephen Fraser (led by Ryann O’Toole) – with the next three teams vying and tying (!) for third. Following the afternoon’s exertions, attendees retreated to the club for some well-deserved R&R. The Racing to End Alzheimer’s tribute car, a rare Porsche 718 Spyder in full racing livery, was on display throughout the tournament (and during the LA Open at Wilshire Country Club the week before). Pros and amateurs alike took the opportunity to add the names of loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s to the tribute car and No. 22 racecar through generous and heartfelt donations. Between servings of an incredible dinner prepared by a Cordon-Bleu trained executive chef, guests were invited to participate in a silent auction for a tempting array of prizes donated by the likes of United Talent Agency, The Porsche Experience Center, UCLA Athletics and MNML Golf. Kay Cockerill (former pro golfer, UCLA grad and on-air announcer for the Golf Channel) acted as emcee for the event – introducing the players, informing and entertaining the crowd, and generating excitement and support for the cause. Fore – and Forward Given the nature of an event like this, it’s no surprise that there were a wide range of emotions at play throughout the afternoon. Competitiveness, compassion, frustration, excitement, humor, remembrance, resolve. Yet, as participants came together to dine and mingle at the end of the day, an overwhelming feeling of fellowship filled the room. It was palpable in each shared laugh, handshake and conversation. The essential fact is that everyone at 18 to Remember came together for a purpose. In their presence and generosity, we saw a powerful expression of what it means to join forces to achieve something greater than any of us could accomplish alone. Here at Racing to End Alzheimer’s, our mission remains what it has always been – to end the scourge of Alzheimer’s in our lifetimes. On this lovely and lively day, that ambitious goal seemed more achievable than ever.
The Gold is back!
Our 2022 calendar just received a Communicator Award of Excellence! We’ll add that to last year’s Gold and the previous year’s Gold for a trifecta of corporate calendar projects. This year, we feature the work of a remarkable photographer, Eric Retterbush. We used his pictures of front-line workers who braved COVID and a whole range of other emergencies in order to keep the rest of us safe and healthy. Eric creates tintypes, an early form of photography that was used to document the Civil War. There are no tricky filters involved. it’s an honest, analog look at a moment in time, recorded with sensitivity, appreciation and style. We’re thrilled that our terrific team from FreeAssociates — creative director Josh Freeman, designer Amy Crossan and writer Emily Hutta — continue to create memorable, effective, award-winning pieces like this one. Congratulations to them, to Eric, and to the incredible individuals we celebrate in our 2022 calendar.
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, VIRginia International Raceway
After a hard-fought race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin a few weeks ago, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/BimmerWorld team turned its sights southward, to the historic VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. Set among dense, pine-laden woods, the bucolic 3.27 mile track was one of the first permanent road racing tracks in the United States, with a storied centerline that has remained unchanged since bulldozers first carved it in 1957. Beyond its beauty and history, the track at VIRginia International Raceway is well known for the challenges it presents to drivers. Extreme elevation changes, high-octane straights, gnarly turns and uphill Esses have drawn acclaim from the likes of Carroll Shelby, who once said, “One lap at VIR is like a hundred at Watkins Glen.” A terrifying turnDuring Saturday’s practice, the r2endalz/BimmerWorld team was made all too aware of the obstacles VIR presents. Devin Jones, the driver of the BimmerWorld #82 BMW M4GT4, sustained serious injuries when his car crashed through the tire wall and fence at turn one, flipping and rolling into the woods beyond. The incident left Jones with a broken arm and fractured lower back. (Thanks to the amazing work of local medical professionals, Devin had a successful surgery and is already back on his feet. All of us here at r2endalz and BimmerWorld are deeply grateful for the good news and wish Devin a speedy recovery. With the crash weighing heavy on their minds, the team focused all their hopes on the remaining BimmerWorld #80 BMW M4GT4. During qualifying, driver Nick Galante was held up early on and struggled to find clear track to lay down good times. Digging deep, Galante ran an impressive final lap to qualify at 8th on the grid in a stout field. A strategic setbackAt the beginning of Sunday afternoon’s race, turn one struck again, as the lead car spun out while trying to make the late apex right-hander. Galante was forced to brake hard, dropping several places down to 12th in the process. Not allowing himself to relent, Nick stayed focused and climbed steadily through the pack. By lap ten, the #80 was sitting pretty in 6th position. Pit-stop timing in IMSA racing is crucial, and strategy can make or break a race for a team. With the BimmerWorld BMW in 6th place, three of the frontrunners chose to take a partial pit stop, electing for a multi-pit-stop race strategy that allows for fresher tires. For the moment, this moved the #80 up to 3rd place. An hour into the race, the caution flag came out for a disabled car, and the r2endalz/BimmerWorld team took its first full pit stop – changing tires, adding fuel and swapping drivers. After the restart, it was apparent the multi-stop strategy was paying off for the other teams. With Dillon Machavern behind the wheel, the #80 charged back out onto the track to try to make up some time. Machavern worked hard to move up through the field, passing 5 cars despite the somewhat cumbersome tire strategy. In the end, the team settled for an 11th place finish – mindful that the real victory was knowing their friend and teammate was well on the road to recovery. The team’s next race is the 2020 Michelin Endurance Challenge at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton GA on September 4-6.
Roller-Coaster Ride
IMSA Michelin Pilot ChallengeVP Racing Stay Frosty 240Sunday, September 6, 2020 The Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta track plays host to some of the greatest endurance races in the world. Nestled in northern Georgia’s gentle hills, the 2.54-mile course is anything but gentle itself. A lap on this asphalt means blind corners, sharp turns, downhill esses, elevation fluctuations, speed changes and a final quarter mile that drops off the face of the earth and shoots drivers across the starting line at extremely high speeds. And that’s just one lap. Bumper cars When the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/BimmerWorld team set out to compete on this roller coaster of a track for 4 long, teeth-clenching hours on the first weekend in September, they were revved up and ready for the challenge. Driver Nick Galante started fast in the #80 BMW M4GT4, picking off three cars within the first 15 minutes to settle into 8th position. At 45 minutes, a car became disabled on track, and the team elected to pit for fuel and tires during the caution period. Coming out of the delay, Galante continued methodically working his way through the field, passing two more cars in turns 11 and 12. With the #80 in 6th place, James Clay and the #82 BimmerWorld BMW moved up to 7th. The teammates were driving well, working together to gain on the front of the pack. Then, all of a sudden, Galante’s car checked up in turn 5, forcing an accidental collision with Clay in the #82. Although complete disaster was avoided, the jolt slightly dislodged the #80’s rear bumper. Band aids A few laps after the collision, Clay passed Galante in turn 4, and the pair stayed nose to tail for the next 15 minutes. The BimmerWorld team was firing on all cylinders, with the drivers of both cars settling into a good pace and the crews executing flawlessly. The cars ran a great stint, remaining in the 5th and 6th positions until another car became disabled with 2 hours to go. The caution allowed the #80 to come into the pits for a new driver, fuel, tires and a thwarted attempt to rip off the damaged rear bumper. Forced to demonstrate some old-fashioned trackside ingenuity, the pit crew literally taped the car back together, and Dillon Machavern rejoined the race in the 7th spot. After a fierce restart and an action-packed couple of laps, Machavern muscled his way up to 6th place. However, the high speeds and sharp turns proved too much for the taped-up bumper, and the car was black flagged. Forced to take a mandatory pit stop for a full bumper repair, the team took the opportunity to refuel and devise a unique new fuel strategy that just might benefit the team in the long run. Calculated risks Roaring back out onto the track in 11th position, Machavern saw a beautiful stretch of clear track ahead. While the front-runners were banging and bumping, the #80 clicked off some impressive lap times. At the next caution, the car needed less fuel because of the forced pit stop. These factors added up to a promising 3rd place position just before debris on the track forced another caution. Back on the track, the team had a difficult decision to make. On a full tank of gas, these high-performance cars can run 47 minutes under green flag conditions. Neither the #80 nor the #82 had enough fuel to finish the race unless another caution was called. Burning up the track in first and second place, the BimmerWorld team took a shot and gambled on a yellow flag. Thrills and chills The agonizing minutes ticked by, and a caution flag never came out. The #80 was forced to pit for a splash of fuel, dropping back to 6th. On the last lap, the car in 3rd place ran out of fuel, and while Machavern was executing a pass, his tire suddenly punctured. Machavern maintained control – and his composure – cooly guiding the battered racecar home for a respectable 6th place finish. The team’s #82 BMW finished 9th. After such an exciting race, we are reminded of why racing embeds itself in our hearts. Endurance, speed, strategy, gambles, triumphs, disappointments and action, action, action! We love motorsports for these highest of highs and lowest of lows, and we are so grateful to be able to share it all with you. On to the next race. The next race in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge will be the Acura Sports Car Challenge on Sept. 25-27 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
A Formidable Track
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, VIRginia International RacewaySunday, Aug 23, 2020 After a hard-fought race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin a few weeks ago, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/BimmerWorld team turned its sights southward, to the historic VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. Set among dense, pine-laden woods, the bucolic 3.27 mile track was one of the first permanent road racing tracks in the United States, with a storied centerline that has remained unchanged since bulldozers first carved it in 1957. Beyond its beauty and history, the track at VIRginia International Raceway is well known for the challenges it presents to drivers. Extreme elevation changes, high-octane straights, gnarly turns and uphill Esses have drawn acclaim from the likes of Carroll Shelby, who once said, “One lap at VIR is like a hundred at Watkins Glen.” A terrifying turn During Saturday’s practice, the r2endalz/BimmerWorld team was made all too aware of the obstacles VIR presents. Devin Jones, the driver of the BimmerWorld #82 BMW M4GT4, sustained serious injuries when his car crashed through the tire wall and fence at turn one, flipping and rolling into the woods beyond. The incident left Jones with a broken arm and fractured lower back. (Thanks to the amazing work of local medical professionals, Devin had a successful surgery and is already back on his feet. All of us here at r2endalz and BimmerWorld are deeply grateful for the good news and wish Devin a speedy recovery. With the crash weighing heavy on their minds, the team focused all their hopes on the remaining BimmerWorld #80 BMW M4GT4. During qualifying, driver Nick Galante was held up early on and struggled to find clear track to lay down good times. Digging deep, Galante ran an impressive final lap to qualify at 8th on the grid in a stout field. A strategic setbackAt the beginning of Sunday afternoon’s race, turn one struck again, as the lead car spun out while trying to make the late apex right-hander. Galante was forced to brake hard, dropping several places down to 12th in the process. Not allowing himself to relent, Nick stayed focused and climbed steadily through the pack. By lap ten, the #80 was sitting pretty in 6th position. Pit-stop timing in IMSA racing is crucial, and strategy can make or break a race for a team. With the BimmerWorld BMW in 6th place, three of the frontrunners chose to take a partial pit stop, electing for a multi-pit-stop race strategy that allows for fresher tires. For the moment, this moved the #80 up to 3rd place. An hour into the race, the caution flag came out for a disabled car, and the r2endalz/BimmerWorld team took its first full pit stop – changing tires, adding fuel and swapping drivers. After the restart, it was apparent the multi-stop strategy was paying off for the other teams. With Dillon Machavern behind the wheel, the #80 charged back out onto the track to try to make up some time. Machavern worked hard to move up through the field, passing 5 cars despite the somewhat cumbersome tire strategy. In the end, the team settled for an 11th place finish – mindful that the real victory was knowing their friend and teammate was well on the road to recovery. The team’s next race is the 2020 Michelin Endurance Challenge at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton GA on September 4-6.
Trent Brown: Virtually Unstoppable
Here at Racing to End Alzheimer’s and BimmerWorld, we see racing as a lifestyle. We compete professionally but, for many of our team members, these races are the culmination of a lifetime of dedication to high performance cars, fast straightaways and burnt rubber. This week, we would like to take some time to highlight a friend of ours who lives and breathes motorsports, and who competes at the highest levels of iRacing. Carrying the colors Trent Brown is a race engineer who has played a pivotal role in our team’s success. Starting in 2014, Trent and his fellow Roush engineers came on board to build BimmerWorld’s IMSA racecar engines. In 2018, he took over as race engineer for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s ST car that was running in the IMSA series. That season, which ended in a championship, was a special one for all of us, and there is no way it could have happened without Trent Brown. So, when Trent reached out to us this summer about representing r2endalz in Roush Performance’s Endurance Invitational Series iRacing events, we jumped at the opportunity. Because his grandfather lived with dementia in his later years, Trent noted that the mission of Racing to End Alzheimer’s appeals to him on a personal level. As he put it, “the pieces kind of fit together” for him to carry our colors and continue expanding the visibility of our cause. The siren call of sim Because of the pandemic and ensuing stay-at-home orders, sim racing has become an increasingly popular sport. The ultra-realistic, virtual racing events are action-packed, adrenaline-fueled matchups; and the Roush endurance races this year have pitted an impressive roster of professional drivers against talented amateurs at simulations of the most iconic racetracks in the world. This is no walk in the park. Virtual races feature manufacturer spec Ford GT GTLM vehicle models, weather changes, rubber buildup on the track, exact replica shifting points, complicated pit strategies, and the need for multiple drivers in endurance events. It’s an extremely sophisticated world that demands skill, focus, dedication – and a certain amount of luck. A season filled with surprises Although Trent has spent most of his career behind the wall, 15 years of sim-racing experience have allowed him to mix it up pretty well with the professional drivers participating in the Roush endurance races. He and his iRacing teammate, Paul Gibson, have performed well in the first four events of the series despite some unique challenges. At Spa, the team was forced to adapt to connection issues caused by raging thunderstorms. They managed to bring it home in 7th despite a last-minute personnel change. Then, at Suzuka, Trent and Paul were making a run for the podium when they ran into steering wheel connection issues. Needless to say, the resulting inability to turn was detrimental to their standing. As Trent put it, “When the car only goes straight, we hit the wall hard!” At the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya, a glitch forced the car to pass under a caution, giving the team a black flag and crucial penalty. Add in a miscalculated pit strategy at Le Mans, and the Roush series has been “a season full of weirdness.”Just for the joy of it Despite the setbacks, Trent and Paul have consistently shown that they are one of the fastest teams on the track, and their chemistry is unmatched. Cousins and former best men at each other’s weddings, the duo practices together constantly, blocking off at least 20 hours for pre-race prep. The time invested makes them a better team, but for Trent, iRacing means more than just winning races. “My role has always been to optimize a racecar for the driver. This league has been a total role reversal for me. Switching over to the driving perspective and driving with the same guys that I’d normally see on a screen on top of a pit box…it’s just a lot of fun.” We are proud to have our Racing to End Alzheimer’s livery on Trent and Paul’s car for Roush Performance’s Endurance Invitational Series, including all the loved ones’ names that had been registered as of their first race! The event is exciting, it’s challenging, and it gives us even more opportunity to interact with the sport we love. Thank you, Trent – and here’s to a life dedicated to, and sustained by, all things racing. (Trent’s next iRacing event will be streamed on both YouTube and Facebook.)
Phil Frengs interviewed on Jay Delsing’s show
Golf legend Jay Delsing recently spent some time with Phil talking about Racing to End Alzheimer’s. It’s a good story and an amazing concept, all for a great cause.
A night to remember
New tent debuts to crowds at Watkins Glen
Our Racing to End Alzheimer’s ambassador Danielle Stratton is ready for the fans at Watkins Glen, NY. The tent was updated, and loaded up with caps and wristbands ready to be snatched up by the eager crowds. Danielle appeared alongside drivers Devin Jones and Nick Galante on the paddock as well, to greet attendees and talk up Racing to End Alzheimer’s. See the accompanying story to find out how the race went, and don’t forget to donate at r2endalz.org !