Dempsey Targeting Post-Le Mans FIA WEC Races.

May 7. 2014

Photo: John Dagys

With its 24 Hours of Le Mans program confirmed, Dempsey Racing could be adding additional FIA World Endurance Championship outings to its schedule later this year.

Team co-principal Joe Foster confirmed to Sportscar365 that talks are underway to run its new Porsche 911 RSR in select rounds following the French endurance classic, with an eye towards a possible full-season attack in 2015.

“If we can bring in some more money, we will absolutely run the car some more,” Foster told Sportscar365 “There’s more [sponsorship] interest in China than there is in the TUDOR Championship, for example. Who knows, maybe we can do the Shanghai round and some other stuff.

“We’d also love to do the WEC race at COTA and do the doubleheader. We can then help provide support for the Proton guys to make that trip cheaper for them too. I’m working with Christian Reid on that.”

The Atlanta-based team will again join forces with  Reid’s Proton Competition for Le Mans, which will see Foster, Patrick Dempsey and a soon-to-be-announced Platinum-rated driver at the wheel of the 991-based Porsche GTE-Am entry.

Foster said he currently sees better sponsorship opportunities outside of North America but remains committed to the remainder of this year’s TUDOR Championship with the No. 27 Porsche 911 GT America entry.

“We’re trying to do a little bit more [internationally] and wait and see how things evolve in the TUDOR Championship for next year,” Foster said. “Right now, unless sponsorship situation changes, it’s hard to justify.

“Obviously WEC is more expensive than TUDOR but it’s also worth it to a lot of sponsors. We have a lot of interest in Europe and Asia and it’s hard to find money in America right now.

“The plan is to still do TUDOR next year but also, we are definitely looking for a proper budget and we have to see what kind of decisions we can make from that.”

Foster said its Porsche 911 RSR, owned by a private investor, could also contest the Petit Le Mans in GTLM later this year, with an all-pro driver lineup, should funding materialize.

Both Dempsey and Foster will miss the next TUDOR Championship round at Detroit due to the Le Mans Test Day, with Andrew Davis’ co-driver for that event to be finalized later this week.

The identity of the team’s third driver for Le Mans should also be announced in the coming days.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dempsey-targeting-post-le-mans-fia-wec-races/