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.
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.
A Struggle in Sonoma
Sonoma RacewaySonoma, CAPorsche Sprint Challenge North AmericaSeptember 28, 2024 For many of us, racing is so much more than a hobby. It’s one of those things that gradually consumes your life. The smell of asphalt invades your dreams, the roar of engines jolts you from your quiet moments, turns and straightaways flash by when you close your eyes. As years pass, the world’s most famous tracks take on individual significance. Some become akin to friends, others become foes. Sonoma Raceway, the site of last weekend’s Porsche Sprint Challenge North America, has long been a friend to Racing to End Alzheimer’s and driver Nick Galante. With more than 4,000 laps under his belt at the storied track, Galante had plenty of reason to be confident coming into the weekend. But racing has a remarkable way of keeping even the most experienced among us on our toes. New car, same Galante Though Nick has spent countless hours on and around the Sonoma Raceway, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car (type 992) presented a brand-new challenge. Unfamiliar with the amount of grip this particular model has at high speed, Galante initially leaned heavily on teammate and Endurance Challenge driver Gus Burton. In what can only be described as a master class, Burton and Galante spent hours working on things like rolling speed and strategy around corners. By the time the No. 241 rolled up to the starting line on Saturday, it was a formidable combination of man and machine. Right off the line, Galante showed his hard-earned skill by avoiding a potentially disastrous melee. As he settled in and the laps whizzed by, it was clear that the veteran driver had complete control over the new generation Porsche. He weaved expertly in and out of congestion, taking precise turns and well-timed passes. Soon, 18th place overall became 16th, then 14th, then 12th with 15 minutes to go. With time running short, Galante made one final pass into 11th, a move that capped a remarkable run through the field and sealed the race’s “Hard Charger” award. Mad dash and dashed hopes After Burton laid down a solid lap to qualify 5th for Sunday afternoon’s Porsche Endurance Challenge, Galante jumped back into the No. 241 for the weekend finale of the Sprint Challenge. At the outset, he started where he left off the day before. Bearing down on the leaders and threatening to charge ahead, it seemed as though Galante’s march up ranks was inevitable. But then the yellow flag came out. The mid-race caution bunched up the drivers, leaving them little room to maneuver on the restart. As soon as the green flag was waved, a collision caused a line of cars to slam on the brakes, forcing Galante to try to squeeze a Porsche through a motorcycle-sized gap. The No. 241 slammed its right front into the car ahead, causing significant damage. After a herculean effort by the crew, the car was finally deemed unfixable for the weekend and the No. 241 withdrew from the Endurance Challenge. Bittersweet homecoming One of the best things about racing is its unpredictability. Even on what is considered a “home” track, where each turn seems like it should be committed to muscle memory, new elements can be introduced that throw us an unhittable curveball. This weekend, Sonoma showed us why we keep coming back. Familiarity and comfort, no matter how deeply they run, can fly out the window at any second. But that’s what makes racing so exciting. Now, when we close our eyes and see flashes of turns and straightaways, we’ll be thinking of Sonoma and dreaming of the podiums to come. More soon.
Stops, Starts and Sprints at Road America
Elkhart Lake, WisconsinRoad AmericaPorsche Spring Challenge North America and Porsche Endurance ChallengeAugust 14th, 2024 Some race weekends are defined by pomp and circumstance. With tens of thousands of fans in the grandstands, rows of booths touting every imaginable racing related product, endless food options and media coverage that doesn’t miss a gear shift, the largest events can feel only partly about the action on the track. But then, along comes an event like the running of the Porsche Sprint and Endurance Challenges at Road America. The weekend, during which Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK participated in a whopping 130 minutes of competition, was simple in its focus. Teams came to race, without distraction. Rubber, asphalt and a stacked field of miraculous machines. Just how we like it. Seeing Double The first portion of the weekend saw Racing to End Alzheimer’s return to the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America with two 35-minute races. Behind the wheel of a purple and white clad No. 243 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car (type 992), Mark Kvamme knew that he would have to capitalize on the car’s considerable advantage over the type 991 in the track’s corridors to be successful. After laying down solid practice laps, the No. 243 lost some time while trying to avoid a spinning car during qualifying, dropping Kvamme’s start position back to ninth in the Masters class and 17th overall. Mark set off early to make up the lost time, but was stymied again by on-track incident. Just as he made a move for 16th and looked ahead for more, the dreaded yellow flag came out to delay his momentum. At the restart, Kvamme dug deep to get back in the groove, picking up three spots to move him into 13th overall. While plotting the No. 243’s ascent into the top ten, Kvamme again had to cool his wheels for a caution period caused by an incident in turn 11. When the green flag came back out, he did what he could with the remaining 10 minutes, moving one more spot up into 12th overall and 5th in class before the checkered flag brought an end to the disjointed race. Sunday morning’s rematch started out looking like a rerun. Setting out from 14th overall and sixth in the Masters class, Kvamme took a position in the opening lap before a full course caution slowed the field. At the restart, the No. 243 began a steady march through the field, speeding through corridors and picking up two spots overall. But with that much work to do, time is the enemy. The checkered flag came out with Kvamme sitting one spot out of the top ten overall and fifth in Masters. Two Sprints and a Marathon After racing the clock in the first two races of the weekend, Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK hoped to stretch out during the team’s debut appearance in the hour-long Porsche Endurance Challenge. As luck would have it, those hopes were almost immediately dashed when a multi-car incident in the first few minutes of the race effectively cut it down to another sprint. Not to be deterred, Kvamme, along with co-driver Gustav Burton, did what they could with the truncated time. Emerging from the pit lane after a red-flag period caused by debris and track damage, the No. 243 worked its way through the field, guided by the steady hands of Kvamme, then Burton. With 26 minutes to go, Burton set his sights on the top ten and began a remarkable run. Starting way back in 15th place, he patiently picked off the Porsches in front of him. With 18 minutes to go, he was in 13th. Unsatisfied, he made no mistakes, laying down good lap after good lap. By the time the checkered flag waved, Burton sat in 9th, a hard-earned top ten finish. Racing and Purpose When Phil Frengs joined Ryan Myrehn and Joe Peak in the announcer’s booth during the race broadcast on Porsche Motorsports North America’s YouTube, he had the opportunity to answer a few questions about Racing to End Alzheimer’s during a lengthy caution period. As he so eloquently does, Phil took the time to remind us all why we are here. Our shared love, for racing and for those who have been impacted by this disease, brings us together in pursuit of a cure. The mission and the method are inseparable. As if to illustrate this point, the green flag came out on the course just as Phil was signing off. With a roar of their engines, the field of Porsches took off at 200 miles per hour, and, somewhere in their midst, a flash of purple and white got to work.
Surviving and Advancing
Watkins Glen, NYJune 23, 2024Porsche Carrera Cup North America There are lots of things that separate a great driver from a good one. Some of them are obvious – lightning-fast reaction time, superb track vision and near-inhuman endurance. Some, on the other hand, reveal themselves only circumstantially. They come out in unexpected moments when the race goes a little haywire and the meticulously prepared plan flies out the window at 200 miles per hour. Mark Kvamme demonstrated some of that greatness at Watkins Glen. When the race took a turn into chaos and the threat of a disastrous collision reared its head, Kvamme showed why Racing to End Alzheimer’s is so lucky to have him as part of the team. Stymied by the Bell At the start of Friday afternoon’s race, the No. 43 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car sat just two spots above dead last on the grid. The 32nd place start position, though unenviable, ensured that Kvamme had a near complete view of the field and could plan his methodical march through the pack. After relenting a spot on the opening lap, Mark got to work. He drove consistently, picking up momentum as he went. By the time he made it up to fourth position in class with 5:32 remaining, it seemed as though there was only one thing that could keep him from the podium – a race-ending caution period.The yellow flag came out just as the No. 43 was bearing down on the leaders, effectively ending the race and cementing Kvamme in a fourth-place finish. Dodging Defeat Saturday’s race went off the rails almost immediately. In turn two, eight cars were taken out by a sweeping crash that left spun-out vehicles and debris scattered across the track. In a combination of luck, skill and savvy, Kvamme avoided the carnage that had devastated the field. (Watch the video below to see it happen!) When the track was back in order following a caution period, the No. 43 sat in 4th place in class. With the time ticking away, Kvamme revved the engine and made his move decisively. First, he slipped by John Goetz for 3rd and settled in on the tail of the 2nd place car. Then, as he applied pressure, the car in front of him spun out, entering a potentially disastrous spin that missed the No. 43 by a hair. Again, a crash came and went as Kvamme piloted the Porsche through unscathed. With a sigh of relief, Mark finally saw the checkered flag from 2nd position, a finish that earned him a bump in the overall standings. No Easy Task Some race weekends feel like they end before they even start. Others feel like a lifetime, leaving everyone involved bedraggled, exhausted and satisfied in a way only racing can provide. Watkins Glen was certainly the latter. Weekends like this are how champions are made, and greatness is earned. Stay tuned for more. Founder Phil Frengs was interviewed for IMSA TV about the Racing to End Alzheimer’s initiative. Looking good, Phil!
Bested by the Elements
Formula 1 AWS Grand Prix of CanadaMontreal, QC9 June 2024IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America When we say racing is a sport of extremes, we are usually referring to the on-track action — high speed straightaways, technical turns and daring passes. The joy of victory and the agony of defeat. Excitement, dejection and hope. These are the things that keep us coming back week after week, chasing a shot of adrenaline and a thumping heart. But occasionally, a weekend comes along that reminds us that extremes are not confined to the track. When the skies opened up over Montreal during the Formula 1 AWS Grand Prix of Canada, it was clear that the elements would be in control. With extreme rain came extreme havoc, and the Racing to End Alzheimer’s team found itself right in the middle of it. Momentum gained, momentum lost Things looked good in practice for Mark Kvamme. After slicing the No. 43 Porsche easily through the class in the dress rehearsal laps, Mark entered qualifying with a healthy dose of earned confidence. It didn’t stick around long. Sitting in 5th place on the first lap of qualifying, Kvamme set his sights on pole position. Before he had a chance to pick up any time, however, the Porsche’s rear brakes locked up and eventually caught fire in the pit box. The flame was quickly dealt with, but it proved devastating for Racing to End Alzheimer’s chances. Unable to put up a qualifying time, the No. 43 would start from the back of the pack in both races. Little to work with With angry, roiling skies telegraphing a downpour, Saturday’s race started under caution. When the cars were eventually let loose, Kvamme got to work. He picked up four overall spots and one in-class spot in short order. But the outburst was short lived. With just over 30 minutes remaining, the course went under red-flag conditions so the cars could change into rain tires. That ate away most of the remaining race, and the field eventually finished under caution. The No. 43 never had the chance to move higher than 5th place. Rain, rain, rain Sunday’s race started the same as Saturday’s. Hopeful that the weather would provide a window, officials decided to kick off the race under caution again. Eventually, green flag conditions were called for all of four laps. Doing what he could in that amount of time, Kvamme moved up six overall positions on the grid, ending up at 4th in class. Just as he was starting to gain momentum, however, a large crash damaged a pit lane protective barrier, forcing officials to checker the race early.
It Was a Zoo Out There
Our racing partner and champion driver Mark Kvamme, co-owner of MDK Motorsports, is also an avid supporter of the world-renowned Columbus Zoo. He and the Zoo staff invited us to visit, set up our tent, display the No. 43 Porsche Cup car and let the visitors know about our mission. So we did just that! The Zoo staff was helpful and welcoming, and even gave us a backstage tour. They showed us how they hand-raise their cheetahs, and connect animals’ cages to their open Watering Hole for daily demonstrations. (Trust us, you don’t want to try to bring a hyena out there on a leash!) Mark and Phil at the Jack Hanna tribute bench But more important — and more gratifying — was the response from the public. Kids sat behind the wheel of our race car while Mark and Conner Burke (MDK’s Alz ambassador) explained the way things work. Meanwhile, their parents talked with Phil, Nick, Ardie and Josh about our fundraising mission and how Alzheimer’s has affected so many people and their families. The zoo personnel — especially Mayme, Erin, Jeff and Colby — helped us during the day and became articulate spokespeople for our cause. All this was in honor of Mark’s dear friend, Zoo Director Emeritus Jack Hanna, whose family announced he has Alzheimer’s disease in 2021. Jack has many friends and supporters among the membership, and some of them joined us for an after-hours gathering hosted by Zoo President and CEO Tom Schmid. Two young supporters at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio