Last minute trip-up at Indy
Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayIndianapolis, INIMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge To the untrained eye, a race car is a machine. It’s a collection of metal, composite materials, rubber, oil and gas that serves as a high-powered vessel for its drivers. But for those who sit in them, turn wrenches on them or spend time admiring them, race cars are more than just nuts and bolts. They have their own histories, quirks, challenges and triumphs – direct reflections of the cumulative effort that built them. At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 120, Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Ford Mustang GT4 illustrated that point, for better or for worse. The old with the new You’ve probably read about the incident at Road America earlier this year. When our team — Stephen Cameron Racing — needed to shift to an entirely new Ford chassis partway through the season, a slew of complications presented themselves. Along with an ongoing need to hone the car’s performance, the crew had to figure out how to ensure the names of champions remained on track. Normally, that would mean a painstaking effort to individually replace each name on the livery. But one of the hallmarks of this team is adaptability. With the car’s exterior squared away, the team turned their full attention to the weekend’s main challenge. Indy requires an ability to wield speed and power with a light touch. With a new car, that’s easier said than done. Luckily, the doors of the old car remained intact, so the team decided to replace the new doors with the old ones, transferring over 100 of the 170 names in one fell swoop. Though it would be nearly impossible to tell, the No. 19 that raced at Indy was a clever combination of the old and the new. A well-oiled machine with a small fuel problem At the start of Saturday’s race, Sean Quinlan set off from the grid in 16th position, taking advantage of the chaos to pick up two positions before the second lap. Sitting within striking distance of the leaders, he took a strategic dive into the pits during a caution period and emerged in 14th. Settling into a consistent rhythm, Quinlan moved up to 11th place before another yellow flag brought his stint to an end. With a fresh set of right-side tires and a full fuel tank, provided to the No. 19 in the blink of an eye by the Cameron crew, Liefooghe wasted no time getting into the fray. And almost as soon as he got up to speed, Greg found himself in a no-holds-barred battle with the No. 46 car. After trading positions multiple times, it looked as though the two cars were hurtling towards a nail-biter of a finish. Then, just at the wrong time, a blip in the fuel system slowed the No. 19, leading to impact with the trailing car and sending Liefooghe into the tires at turn six. Four minutes to go, and the team’s hopes were dashed. More than the finish At Indy, the No. 19 fell just short of the checkered flag. It’s not exactly the kind of end we dream about, but relying only on the results would be a mistake — similar to referring to a race car as “just a machine”. It glosses over the effort put in by the team before the race, the speed of the drivers during the race and the determination of the team coming off a disappointing finish. To us, every moment of racing is worthwhile, even if the finish doesn’t go our way. But something tells us you already know that. More soon.
Reaching Potential in Virginia
VIRginia International RacewayAlton, VAIMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge August 25, 2025 Racing is a sport that rewards experience. Talent and skill can go a long way, but the best drivers are those who have paid their dues on track. The difference isn’t always obvious, particularly when regulated car performance and uniform track conditions create an even playing field. But there are certain pivotal moments – near collisions, tight passing windows, mid-race bunch-ups – that require a level of patience and expert vision that can only be earned by miles of burnt rubber, hours behind the wheel and gallons of sweat beneath the helmet. Racing to End Alzheimer’s has had its share of experienced drivers over the years, but some of the most fun we’ve had has come as we watch young drivers put in the time and have it pay off. At VIR, we witnessed a harnessing of potential. With a trip to the victory lane, Luke Rumburg and Jaden Conwright took a massive leap in their ascent to what will surely be long and illustrious careers. We’re just happy to be along for the ride. Learning, adjusting and letting it rip After feeling like they fell just short at Road America, Rumburg and Conwright, driving the No. 31 RVA Graphics Motorsports by Speed Syndicate Audi RS3 LMS TCR, came to Virginia laser focused. Having spent the preceding days picking apart their previous performance and shifting strategy accordingly, the team showed up prepared to win. The tone was set early as the No. 31 Audi put down the third fastest time in practice and qualified for Saturday’s race in sixth. That starting position, while well within reach of the podium, ensured Rumburg would have to navigate the dangerous early moments of the race from smack in the middle of the jostling pack. Luckily for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Speed Syndicate team, the young driver proved more than up to the task. Leaning on his vision and instincts, he emerged unscathed and laid down a solid leg before handing the car off to Conwright. With momentum on his side, Conwright sped out of the pit lane with his sights set on the victory podium. But standing in his way were two fast and formidable Hyundais. The first, No. 98, engaged the young driver in a maneuver for maneuver battle that threatened to end the day for both teams. After doing everything they could to get the upper hand, the space between the drivers converged and they made contact. Though it was ruled a racing incident and brought out the yellow flag, Conwright was able to maintain position. On the restart, Conwright met the second Hyundai, No. 33. With an expert move, he took advantage of the bunched up field and made a veteran pass to pull into first place with 11 minutes to go. After holding the field off for minutes that felt like hours, Conwright became the first ever 3D (Diverse Driver Development) Scholarship recipient to claim victory. Surviving and Advancing Over in the GS class, familiar faces Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe expertly steered the No. 19 Mustang GT4 through tumult and uncertainty that started before the race even began. After a crash at Road America, the team came to VIR with only its backup car available to race. While the basics of this high powered machine are the same as the last, it didn’t yet have the balance that the crew had worked so hard to find over the first few weeks of the season.Quinlan and Liefooghe would have to break this car in on the fly. Starting from tenth position, Quinlan worked to keep the No. 19 in a good enough position to reach the podium. Despite the challenges, Sean fought through, pushing the car to its full potential. But then debris on the track derailed the No. 19’s run, forcing it momentarily off the track and into the grass. The misadventure, though short lived, cost the team a number of positions and forced Quinlan to fight valiantly to get back to 16th before handing the car off to Liefooghe. When Greg got behind the wheel, it was clear he had a feel for the new car. Lap after lap, he laid down some of the fastest times on the track, flashing past competitors in a blur of purple. Combined with perfect pit stops, the nearly flawless driving put the No. 19 in top to five in shockingly little time. As he made his run, Liefooghe pushed the car to its limit, both literally and figuratively. With 20 minutes to go, the tank was running so low on gas that a drop or two could very well have made the difference between finishing and petering out short of the line. Just as the team was making the decision to come into the pit lane, however, they were saved by the yellow flag. With the late race caution period, the No. 19 was able to complete its magical run on fumes and keep the fifth place position. Happy Surprises In the days leading up to a race, teams often do everything they can to minimize the possibility of race day surprises. With stakes this high, the goal is predictability. Ask anyone on the team, and they’ll tell you they hope the races go exactly as they planned. Of course, that’s almost never how it works out. Surprises are as central to racing as rubber and gasoline. When they’re bad, they can ruin a weekend. But when they’re good – like young drivers who race like vets or a backup car that runs some of the fastest laps all weekend – they remind us that racing’s glory lies in its unique ability to question what we thought we knew. More soon.
Peaks and Valleys in Wisconsin
IMSA Michelin Pilot ChallengeRoad America 120Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin In racing, success often comes from a willingness to push the limits. Souped up engines use modern mechanics and technology to reach nearly unthinkable speeds. Tires scorch the asphalt until they are almost threadbare and drivers maneuver cars in ways that strain the human body beyond what it was evolved to do. In this kind of high-stakes environment, the edge is always near. Push too far, and you go over — but push too little, and you’ll never even have a chance at the podium. The stakes of this sport were made clear at the Road America 120 a few weekends ago. Thanks to Racing to End Alzheimer’s doubling down via their partnership with RVA Graphics Motorsports and Speed Syndicate, a second purple-and-white-clad car took on the technical Wisconsin track in the TCR division. The No. 31 Audi joined the mainstay Stephen Cameron Racing No. 19 Mustang at the start line. But that’s where their paths diverged. Once the green flag waved, the two cars set off at blinding speeds towards very different fates. In a split second The team behind the No. 19 came into the weekend feeling like bonafide contenders. After a podium finish north of the border, Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe capitalized on the momentum on the first day at Elkhart Lake. Through practice and qualifying, the pair remained in the top four of the field, eventually qualifying for a fourth place start on the grid. As the race approached, the team spoke in hushed tones about how good the Mustang looked on this track. Mayhem marked the race from the start. As Quinlan patiently moved through the dangerous first lap, he deftly avoided a pileup in turn three that ended the day for a handful of cars prematurely. From there it was stop and go. Interspersed with bouts of racing were three caution periods within the first 45 minutes. With the expanding and contracting field, Quinlan did well to finish his half of the race in fifth place, well within reach of the podium. After losing a few spots while in the pit lane, Liefooghe quickly made up time at the start of his stint. Weaving through the field, he pushed back up to seventh place, picking up speed and confidence as he went. But just as it seemed the No. 19 was reaching peak performance, disaster struck. As the field was in the chute and running down through the kink, Liefooghe found himself three wide in turn four. With so little space between the cars, each driver is depending on the others’ ability to maintain a clean line through the turn. Unfortunately for the No. 19, the inside car hit the grass, swerved back onto the track and bumped the middle car, which in turn slammed into Liefooghe on the outside. In a split second, Greg and the Mustang were into the wall at 140 miles per hour, crumpling the front end of the car beyond repair. As he walked away from the crash, Liefooghe couldn’t help but think about what could have been. The car, which was nearly unrecognizable, had been one of the best he’d ever driven. Carrying the flag forward With the No. 19 Mustang knocked out of the race, the team’s hopes came down to two 26-year-olds and the No. 31 Audi. Luke Rumburg and Jaden Conwright showed grit and persistence on their way to a second place finish in the TCR class. In a blur of purple and orange, the team ran the fastest practice lap of the weekend just before qualifying in fifth place. With the confidence that comes from knowing you can be the fastest on track, Rumburg wasted no time moving into the top three at the outset of the race. By the time he handed the car off to Conwright, the No. 31 was running in third place with enough juice to compete for better. Positions are hard to come by at the top of the field, and Jaden fought hard to pick up a spot as the end of the race approached. With a skillful pass, the No. 31 rocketed into second place with the checkered flag in sight. But the race was far from over. In the waning minutes, the third place car staged a dogged effort to regain the second spot. With the car nipping at his heels, Conwright went into defensive mode. The pitched battle, which only lasted for minutes, felt like it went on for hours. Moves and counter-moves had the crowd sitting on the edge of their seats until the checkered flag finally waved and the team behind the No. 31 breathed a triumphant sigh of relief. Second place and a spot on the podium. The good with the bad Racing is a sport that can take you to the mountaintop or send you into the depths. It’s defined by risk and reward. How much are you willing to put on the line for the elation of victory? Rarely are we confronted with that fact as clearly as we were at Road America. A soul-crushing collision and a podium finish, separated by just 40 minutes. But the thing that makes racing special is the same thing that keeps us all coming back. No matter what, next time will be different. As Greg Liefooghe put it in an Instagram post after the race, “So, I hear loud and clear, Racing, you don’t owe anything to anybody, but I still love you and that will never change.”
Midweek Motorsport features Phil Frengs
Midweek Motorsport is the world’s longest-running motorsports radio show, providing a weekly guide to the latest news and developments in various motorsport disciplines. The legendary announcer John Hindhaugh, the “Voice of Le Mans,” hosts. The show features a mix of news, interviews with figures in the sport (such as drivers, team personnel, and industry experts), and even occasional game shows. Our founder Phil Frengs had a chance to talk with John about Racing to End Alzheimer’s and the sport in general. It’s a fun segment! Here’s the interview clip: To hear the entire show (s20 e29) you can go here or listen on your favorite podcast app.
A Push for the Podium
Canadian Tire Motorsport ParkBowmanville, Ontario, CanadaIMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Reaching the podium in an IMSA race is hard. There are so many things that can go wrong — mechanical issues, crowded fields or just plain bad luck. Anyone who has been part of a racing team knows what it feels like to have their dreams dashed in a split second, forced to convince themselves that next time will be different. Fortunately for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing team, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was different. After watching their Mustang fail in the last five minutes at Watkins Glen, the team crossed the northern border determined to flip the script. This time, when disaster came knocking in the home stretch, the crew was there to slam the door. Hitting the ground running Though practice runs are often used for making minor adjustments and warming up the drivers, they can also be a harbinger of things to come. It’s entirely possible to recover from bad practice laps, but you wind up going into qualifying with less confidence than you had before. On the flip side, fast practice laps usually translate to fast race laps. The latter was the case for Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe. During Friday’s two practice sessions, they ran the No.19 all the way up to third place, the fastest Mustang in the field. Though traffic kept Quinlan from running at those same speeds during qualifying, he managed to secure an 11th place starting spot, well within striking distance of the podium. Weaving through the crowd With cars bunched up at the beginning of the race, it’s tempting to try to pick up a few spots quickly once the green flag waves. Though this gamble can pay off, it can also spell disaster for risk takers. Sean Quinlan, for his part, is a patient and methodical racer who is willing to wait for his chances. When the field set off on Saturday, Quinlan remained steady, keeping his eye out for an opportunity to pick up a position. As the mess of the early going subsided, he got his chance. At the end of the first lap, Sean slipped past the 10th place car and built on his momentum to pick up another spot early in lap two. He then settled into 9th place, churning out consistent times around the track for the rest of his leg. With about an hour to go, Quinlan turned the reins over to Liefooghe, who wasted no time picking up spots. Capped off by a blistering 1:24.370 lap that catapulted him through the field, Greg put in one of the best stints of racing we’ve seen all year. Before long, he had overtaken third place. The podium felt within reach. Crisis averted But the race was far from over. When a four car incident brought the field together under yellow flag conditions, danger lurked around the corner. The green flag waved with 17 minutes left, and the cars were bunched up bumper to bumper. Even worse, the end of the race made it such that lapped slower cars were in front and faster lead cars were behind. Greg Liefooghe and the No.19, were caught in the middle. With nowhere to go, Liefooghe was at the mercy of the field and could do little to avoid getting drilled by a wayward car. For a moment, it looked as though bad luck had reared its ugly head again and there was no escape. But Greg had other plans. After bouncing off two other cars, he managed to stabilize the No.19, losing only one position in the process. With the team’s hopes saved, the challenge was now in fending off an aggressive field with a severely hobbled Mustang. Cool, calm and collected, Liefooghe did just that. After the third-place car was penalized for its role in the collision, the No.19 limped across the finish line and moved up onto the podium for the first time this season. The view from the podium In racing, preparation is the ante. Knowing your car, studying the track and establishing a thorough plan puts you in a position to compete. But reaching the podium requires a little something extra. When things go wrong, and you find yourself in the waning laps behind the wheel of a struggling Mustang, the plan is no longer important. What matters most is your ability to meet the moment. Recovering from a crash, pushing the car to its limit and holding a faster field at bay require an innate sense for what it takes to succeed on track. It’s a feeling for racing that separates the good from the great. Some have it, others don’t. CTMP was a reminder that our drivers have it. More soon.
Perfection and Heartbreak at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International RacewayWatkins Glen, NYIMSA Michelin Pilot ChallengeLP Building Solutions 120 Coming off of a highly technical race at Mid-Ohio, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing team rolled into Watkins Glen chomping at the bit to open up that high-powered Mustang engine. The notoriously fast track, known in racing circles for its high-octane straights and infamous boot section, provides an opportunity for teams to focus on speed. But this is far from a pedal-to-the-floor, top-speed-over-everything drag race. Success at Watkins Glen requires the ability to shift between blistering pace and tight angles around corners. That versatility puts incredible amounts of strain on the car and is only possible when every mechanical part works exactly the way it should. Unfortunately for this team, one last-minute electrical issue proved that point in heartbreaking fashion. Dialing in After qualifying to start 16th on the grid, Sean Quinlan set off on Saturday morning with a plan in mind. The first leg of a race is crucial, if sometimes underappreciated. Despite the absence of a checkered flag payoff, leadoff drivers are responsible for dialing the car in and setting the tone for the rest of the day. Over the first few laps, Quinlan played his role exceptionally well, making light changes to brake bias and traction while fending off the rest of the field. This kind of multitasking is the purview of a seasoned driver — one who can communicate with his team, adjust on the fly and drive a Mustang at nearly 200 miles per hour. As the No.19 held steady, a mid-race caution period bunched the field together. Quinlan took the opportunity to hit the pit lane, handing the car over to Greg Liefooghe with topped-up fuel and new tires. As usual, Greg was ready. Good with the bad Liefooghe hit the track and immediately started gaining momentum. After a few laps, the No.19 approached the perfect balance of speed and precision, ripping down the track at blinding speed. Then, on lap 45, everything came together. A flawless lap is exceedingly rare. It’s the kind of thing that drivers envision the night before a race, a perfect storm of timing, skill, luck and teamwork. When it does happen, it’s as if driver and machine become an extension of each other — taking corners at the perfect angle, switching gears at exactly the right time, passing opponents quickly and efficiently. It’s the pinnacle of racing — a fleeting feeling that only a select few ever get to experience. If Liefooghe didn’t get that feeling on lap 45, he must have been pretty close to it. With the fastest lap in the field, Greg paced the No.19 all the way up to 12th place with only five minutes left. But as he prepared to make a run for the top ten, the Mustang’s electrical system gave way, forcing the driver to pull over and end the race in 19th place. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows, all within a few minutes. More to come Despite the disappointing finish, the team came away from its weekend at Watkins Glen with a positive outlook on the races ahead. The Mustang had flashes of greatness, and the crew is getting better at harnessing its strengths. There is work to be done, but it’s hard not to feel like triumph is just around the next turn. Thanks for reading.
Sweating the Details
Mid-Ohio Sports Car CourseLexington, OHIMSA Michelin Pilot ChallengeO’Reilly Auto Parts 4 Hours of Mid-Ohio There are some things about racing that are easy to love, and others that take a little bit more time. Any casual observer can appreciate the rush that comes from watching a skillful pass or hearing the roar of a powerful engine as it rips by. These things are the payoff — exciting, momentary flashes of greatness that only come on the racetrack. But for those of us who have spent our lives in proximity to this sport, a deeper sense of satisfaction often comes from subtler parts of racing — setups, pit stops, weather. Things that knit together to form a complex puzzle of circumstances for which the correct answer dictates success or failure on track. This is the part of racing that can consume your life. Because when you pay attention to detail, solve last-minute problems and respond to the conditions, those momentary flashes of greatness on track feel earned. At Mid-Ohio, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing team earned their greatness. Decisions The idyllic track that winds through tree-lined Ohio countryside presents a difficult challenge for competitors. 14 highly technical turns mean that cars need to be set up for cornering ability while sacrificing as little speed as possible. Threading this needle is made even more difficult by the fact that the track was repaved in 2024, so it remains slippery, especially under wet conditions like those on the weekend of this race. During their practice runs, Sean Quinlan, Greg Liefooghe and the team did their best to get the car dialed in. It took some time and a few white-knuckle, low-grip laps, but eventually the No. 19 Ford Mustang found its footing and paced all the way up to a promising 6th in practice. Stops and Starts When the skies opened up on the morning of raceday, it seemed as though the field might have to contend with extremely wet conditions. In response, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing team rolled the No. 19 up to its 16th spot on the start line with rain tires. But not long before the start, the clouds cleared, sending the crew scrambling to put slick tires back on the car for the drier track. This dance, dictated by the weather radar, was enough to keep the team busy even before the waving of the green flag. At the start, Quinlan remained cautious, ensuring the No.19 stayed steady despite the rapidly evaporating moisture on the track. As the asphalt dried, Quinlan worked to fend off furious challenges and navigate his way through multiple caution periods. After about an hour, he held the 16th position, a feat of consistency that was critical to setting up Liefooghe for success in the second leg. Greg Liefooghe and Sean Quinlan When Greg got behind the wheel of the Mustang with a full tank of gas and a fresh set of wheels, he wasted little time getting to work. After just a few laps, he had piloted the No.19 into the top 10, setting up shop in the lead group. With time and room to operate, Liefooghe expertly slipped past his competitors, snaking his way up to eighth place with 90 minutes to go. As the minutes slipped away, the team made a strategic decision to pit with just under an hour left, gambling that Liefooghe would have enough time to make up the lost positions. It was a good bet. With tires and fuel to get him to the end of the race, Liefooghe roared back out onto the track after losing four positions in the pit. In pitched battle after pitched battle, he found ways to maneuver around his opponents, catapulting him back up to ninth place at the checkered flag. After four grueling hours of racing, the No.19 finished in the top 10. Details At a place like Mid Ohio, you sweat the details. Which tires are best for this track surface? How much do I need to slow down into corner 9? When exactly does the weather radar say it will stop raining? This attention to the seemingly insignificant is something we take great pride in. While we know it translates to victory on the track, we also believe that success in our mission depends on unwavering focus. When everything fits together and a perfectly set-up Mustang takes a technical corner on a slick track, it reminds us that an end to Alzheimer’s will almost certainly come because someone paid attention to the details. Thanks for reading.
First season podium for Racing to End Alzheimer’s in Canada
News Release: A team effort at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, as drivers, crew and strategists performed flawlessly in a wild IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (July 14, 2025) – The Racing to End Alzheimer’s with Stephen Cameron Racing team put it all together in Saturday’s two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race, scoring its first podium finish of the season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Drivers Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe combined to keep the Racing to End Alzheimer’s colors near the top of the field all weekend. With a flawless pit stop, solid strategy, and impressive instincts to stay out of a plethora of trouble, the team brought home a hard-fought and well deserved third place finish. And as always, the on-track action was only part of the story. Racing to End Alzheimer’s founder Phil Frengs manned his usual post at the Racing to End Alzheimer’s tent at the back of the Cameron team transporter, talking to the enthusiastic Canadian fans, many with a story to tell about their loved one who suffered from dementia or Alzheimer’s, hoping to add their name to the oved ones names already on the Ford Mustang. In fact, four names were added this weekend, bringing the number of names on the car to 114 at the green flag. Canadian fans can choose to have their donation go to the Alzheimer Society of Toronto – the matching funds will also stay in Toronto. Honor a loved one and join the team: https://r2endalz.org/donate/ The No. 19 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Ford Mustang came out of the gate flying on Friday morning, with Liefooghe and Quinlan setting the third quickest time in morning practice. In the heat of the day, the duo once again combined for a solid P3 in practice two – the top Ford Mustang in both sessions. In Saturday morning qualifying, Quinlan found his attempts at a fast lap time repeatedly thwarted by traffic but placed the car a solid P11 for the afternoon’s race. At the drop of the green Saturday afternoon, Quinlan bided his time through the inevitable early chaos until the opportunity presented itself to make a pass late on lap one. He took another position on lap two, then settled into a rhythm, focusing forward and putting down consistent lap times. With an hour remaining, Quinlan headed to pit lane for four Michelin tires, fuel, and a change to Liefooghe. Carving his way up through the field, Liefooghe set one of the fastest laps of the race with a circuit at 1:24.370. He had captured third position when a four-car incident on the back straight brought out a yellow, with a significant debris field to clean. Liefooghe took the green with 17 minutes remaining, but with lapped cars ahead and fast cars behind, he was swarmed and hit hard, bouncing off two cars and doing a masterful job of holding the car on track in fourth. The offending driver received a drive through penalty for incident responsibility, putting the No. 19 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Ford Mustang into P3. In the waning laps, Liefooghe fought to keep the damaged car in third position, making the Mustang as wide as possible to take the checkered flag in third – the team’s first podium of the year. Liefooghe was thrilled with the team effort, and impressed with his co-driver. “Sean did an amazing job,” said Liefooghe about his pro-am partner. “He was out there against drivers who race full time as their living, and he did laps just a few tenths off, keeping us close to the front and allowing us to do a one-stop race. And kudos to the crew, they did two perfect stops and called a great race. We were P2, just cruising till the end, but the yellow bunched up everybody and unfortunately for us, there were a lot of lapped cars between us and the leader which made it really tough to battle forward. All the cars behind us were for position, so it was a tough place to be – we got sandwiched in between two cars and were drilled in the side, but thankfully the car held together to the end. “It’s so important to us to bring this home for Racing to End Alzheimer’s,” continued Liefooghe. “We’re so honored to have all those names on the car every weekend, it makes this moment just that much more special.” For Frengs, it was great to earn the podium, but the true reason for the program is never far from his mind. “Being on the podium recognizes not only our two great drivers but our whole team,” said Frengs. “It was an outstanding job all weekend. But most important, we’ve talked to so many people here this weekend that will be so excited because they appreciate what we do. “We never forget that each one of those 114 names honor someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s,” continued Frengs. “114 people loved someone who made a difference in their life – and we refer to them as their champion. They can honor and remember them, and that’s the most rewarding part of what we do. Awareness is vital, but the most important thing is to give people the chance to acknowledge someone they loved. That’s the best.” Next up for the Racing to End Alzheimer’s with Stephen Cameron Racing team and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series will be the Road America 120 – Saturday, August 2 at America’s National Park of Speed, located in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on Peacock TV, and internationally on IMSA.tv and on IMSA’s YouTube channel – ad-free courtesy of Michelin. About Racing to End Alzheimer’s In 2013, Phil Frengs’s late wife Mimi was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Their experience with the disease led Frengs to a seminal moment: his company, Legistics, had long sponsored a team in IMSA sports car racing and he realized an opportunity to raise
Racing to End Alzheimer’s reaping the benefits of the new relationship with Stephen Cameron Racing
News Release: LOS ANGELES (July 8, 2025) – The partnership between Racing to End Alzheimer’s and Stephen Cameron Racing team might be just two months old, but both sides have already seen the benefits of this new relationship in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge paddock. Steve Cameron, Racing to End Alzheimer’s founder Phil Frengs, and drivers Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe head to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this week for their fourth race together, looking to keep the progression going with their No. 19 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Ford Mustang GT4. Located 75 km (approximately 47 miles) east of Toronto, CTMP’s main track is a tight and fast 3.957 km (2.459 mi), 10-turn road course. Job one is attempting to master the challenging layout that includes high-speed corners and significant elevation changes, and notoriously fast-changing track conditions. But with over 40 years of racing experience, Cameron is up to that challenge. Cameron began his career racing junior formula cars in New Zealand, winning the 1980 NZ Formula Vee series, running with his own team. He moved to the US in the mid-1980s (along with his brother Rick, now a renowned sports car engineer), focused on pursuing racing as a career – supporting his racing by working on the cars and helping to manage the teams he raced with. Transitioning away from driving in 1987, Cameron formed his own team, and has run in a wide variety of series, including IMSA, SRO, INDY NXT, Formula Atlantics, Formula Ford, and Historics. This season, Cameron Racing competes in Michelin Pilot Challenge and in Radical North America, while Cameron’s son Christian contests the USF2000 junior open wheel series. Cameron first met Racing to End Alzheimer’s founder Phil Frengs through Nick Galante, and when the opportunity arose to partner with the organization this season, Cameron jumped at the chance. “I’ve known Nick (a longtime Racing to End Alzheimer’s driver) for a good many years,” said Cameron. “Nick ran with us in karting, which was long before he connected with Phil. The team that Racing to End Alzheimer’s had been with the past several years stopped racing, so they were looking for a home. Nick contacted me and of course, I was familiar with what they’d done, the difference they’re making in the fight against Alzheimer’s, so it just made sense to join forces. “So many of us have been affected by Alzheimer’s,” continued Cameron. “Sean (Quinlan) has a family member’s name on the car, and over the last several weeks, drivers we’ve worked with in the past have contacted us – one had a friend lose his mother to the disease, so he put her name on the car. It’s expanded our relationships with a lot of people, who now have even more of a reason to follow the team and stay connected to us. That’s been super cool.” The partnership between Cameron Racing and Racing to End Alzheimer’s might be new, but Cameron looks forward to seeing it continue – and to grow. “This is a new program for us so we’re looking forward to seeing where it goes. We’re still figuring out how to help, how to support it properly and give the program the proper exposure. We have a really great group of people on this team who are really motivated to make this a success. On track, it’s up to us to keep the team in the top five and work toward winning a race. We focus on all the details, like pit stops and strategy – not just being a fast car but all the things it takes to be successful. They’re all unique personalities but they’re all excited about the program and trying to do the best job to make sure everyone is having a good experience. Off track, we love the chance to talk to fans about Alzheimer’s, helping Phil spread the word.” The No. 19 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Mustang gives families the chance to honor loved ones who have suffered from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. For a $250 donation, the family member’s name and hometown is placed on the car, and their photo can be posted on the Racing to End Alzheimer’s website’s tribute page. All donations are matched by Frengs’s company Legistics, with 100% going to the program’s two beneficiaries. To date, Racing to End Alzheimer’s has donated over $1 million to those two programs. Donate now at this link. The Canadian Tire Motorsports Park 120 for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge takes the green flag Sunday at 1:25 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on Peacock TV, and internationally on IMSA.tv and on IMSA’s YouTube channel – ad-free courtesy of Michelin.
Home Again
When Nick Galante roared off the Laguna Seca starting line in 2017, he was behind the wheel of the first ever Racing to End Alzheimer’s race car. Back then, that familiar flash of purple carried our fledgling organization into a future that was difficult to imagine. What started as an idea born from love and determination has morphed into something more than just a racing team or philanthropic effort. With time, it has become something into which we can pour our emotions — elation in victory, sadness in defeat, comfort in feeling useful and connected in community. To be on this journey is to have felt all of those things, and to be assured that there are others feeling them right alongside you. Nowhere was that more evident than at Racing to End Alzheimer’s return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a couple of weekends ago. With our founder’s late wife, Mimi Frengs, at the front of our minds, we watched two team cars run in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. One car was the result of a new and exciting partnership for the 2025 season, and the other was driven by a familiar face. 100 races after his debut in sportscar racing, Nick Galante got behind the wheel of the No. 31 Audi RS3 LMS to carry us yet again, at blistering speed, into an uncertain but endlessly hopeful future. In With the Old, In With the New Galante and co-driver Luke Rumburg ran their Audi in the TCR class as a special one-off race with the help of Speed Syndicate and RVA Graphics. In the adjacent paddock, Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe debuted the brand new No.19 Ford Mustang GT4 for Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing. The partnership puts the purple Racing to End Alzheimer’s livery on a powerful orange Mustang, creating a color combination that we didn’t know we needed! From the jump, it was clear that conditions wouldn’t make this an easy homecoming. With the hot Northern California sun beating down on a slick track, Quinlan steered the Mustang into a number 16 starting position on the grid while Galante translated his experience into a top-ten starting position in class. With such a crowded field and few opportunities to pass on race day, qualifying would prove incredibly important. At the start of Saturday’s race, 40 cars set off, each vying for any space it could find. At places like Laguna Seca, the first lap can make or break a race. The field is so condensed that even just maintaining position requires a herculean effort. In what can only be described as a melee, Galante got tapped a couple of times but maintained his handling and composure. Despite the white-knuckle first lap, both cars emerged unscathed and settled in as the field spread out. At the 40-minute mark, they took the opportunity to hit the pit lane for new tires and drivers. With fresh sets of wheels and eyes, the Mustang and Audi ripped back onto the track within striking distance of the top 10. With an hour left in the race, the yellow flag came out, slowing the field down with Liefooghe’s Mustang in 18th and Rumburg’s Audi in 13th. But even during a caution, there are strategic decisions to be made. With the fuel meter running low, frenzied calculations happen at a blistering pace. A drop or two of fuel can mean crossing the finish line, or sputtering out before reaching the checkered flag. With this in mind, Rumburg made a strategic dash to the pit during the caution period. Liefooghe, who had a little bit more fuel, opted to keep his position until the green flag came out. At the restart there was a brief moment of full throttle racing, but it was broken up by two more caution periods. With thirty minutes left, the field was let loose again, and Liefooghe and Rumburg took advantage. The Mustang and Audi stealthily moved up in their respective fields, picking off positions with skillful passes. By the checkered flag, Liefooghe was in 10th place and Rumburg finished in 11th. Years of Change Maybe it was watching Galante compete for the 100th time, or coming home to Laguna Seca, but something about this race weekend felt different. Eight years have certainly changed us. We’ve watched thousands of track miles, honored hundreds of champions and raced dozens of cars. We’ve seen our community grow, delighting in the people but wishing more than anything that the circumstances were different. And we’ve come to know loss — of family, of friends, of loved ones. But through it all, one thing has remained the same. To help find a cure for Alzheimer’s feels as urgent now as it did on day one. This mission gives us purpose, it motivates us and it brings us together. We can’t afford to give up, and we certainly don’t intend to. Thank you for being part of the race.