Team Seattle
Encyclopedia
Team Seattle is an endurance auto racing
team and charitable organization
founded by racing driver Don Kitch, Jr. in 1997 to raise funds for the Seattle Children's Hospital. Team Seattle's drivers and other supporting teams who compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona
gain pledges from donors based on the number of laps their cars can complete over the event. Since first entering Daytona in 1997, Team Seattle has raised over $3.3 million for Seattle Children's. A new endeavor for 2009 will have Team Seattle participate in another endurance event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in France
, and also raise funds for the Mecenat Chirurgie Cardiaque Enfants du Monde. The team's driving squad will include American actor Patrick Dempsey
.
from the Alex Job Racing
team, before expanding to two cars in 1998. The two car effort was boosted in 1999 by the addition of professional drivers Kelly Collins, Anthony Lazzaro, and Cort Wagner who led one of two Team Seattle-backed Alex Job Porsches to victory in their class. In 2000 Team Seattle began a partnership with The Racer's Group
, another Porsche squad, before switching to the faster GTS category in 2002 with Park Place Racing's Saleen
s.
Team Seattle made their first entry into the sports prototype
categories by joining with Essex Racing in 2003, where they finished first and second within their class in a Lola-Nissan
. Essex Racing switched to Multimatic-Ford
s in 2004, but were not able to repeat their success in the new Daytona Prototype
category. The team returned to Porsches in the lower categories in 2005 with a two-car effort with Synergy Racing, joined by corporate backing from Microsoft
in 2006. Team Seattle made another partnership in 2008, joining Farnbacher-Loles Racing.
to apply for an entry to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
, not only to raise funds for Seattle Children's, but also for the French Mecenant Chirurgie Cardiaque. Although initially being granted a reserve entry, Team Seattle was granted a full entry on March 31, 2009, following the withdrawal of another competitor. Team Seattle made use of a Ferrari F430
GT2 from AF Corse's Advanced Engineering squad. Founder Don Kitch, Jr. and racing driver Joe Foster were joined by actor Patrick Dempsey
, a regular competitor in the Rolex Sports Car Series
.
Pledges to the team were raised not only by the car's lap total, but also by allowing donations in exchange for personal photos to be added to the car's paint scheme. The team expected to raise $1 million at the event.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
team and charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
founded by racing driver Don Kitch, Jr. in 1997 to raise funds for the Seattle Children's Hospital. Team Seattle's drivers and other supporting teams who compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
gain pledges from donors based on the number of laps their cars can complete over the event. Since first entering Daytona in 1997, Team Seattle has raised over $3.3 million for Seattle Children's. A new endeavor for 2009 will have Team Seattle participate in another endurance event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and also raise funds for the Mecenat Chirurgie Cardiaque Enfants du Monde. The team's driving squad will include American actor Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy he made several television appearances and was nominated for an Emmy Award...
.
History
Team Seattle debuted at the 1997 24 Hours of Daytona, backing a PorschePorsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
from the Alex Job Racing
Alex Job Racing
Alex Job Racing is a professional sports car racing team based in the United States. The team, which is noted for its long-time association with Porsche, has won three championships in the American Le Mans Series and also competed in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, campaigning a...
team, before expanding to two cars in 1998. The two car effort was boosted in 1999 by the addition of professional drivers Kelly Collins, Anthony Lazzaro, and Cort Wagner who led one of two Team Seattle-backed Alex Job Porsches to victory in their class. In 2000 Team Seattle began a partnership with The Racer's Group
The Racer's Group
The Racer's Group, or TRG, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Camping World Truck Series and Rolex Sports Car Series racing team located in Petaluma, California owned by Kevin Buckler and his wife Debra. In addition to stock car racing, TRG has competed professionally in road racing since 1995...
, another Porsche squad, before switching to the faster GTS category in 2002 with Park Place Racing's Saleen
Saleen
Saleen, Incorporated, commonly known as Saleen, was an American manufacturer of high-performance sports cars and high-performance automotive parts in Troy, Michigan, formerly based in Irvine, California...
s.
Team Seattle made their first entry into the sports prototype
Sports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
categories by joining with Essex Racing in 2003, where they finished first and second within their class in a Lola-Nissan
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
. Essex Racing switched to Multimatic-Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
s in 2004, but were not able to repeat their success in the new Daytona Prototype
Daytona Prototype
A Daytona Prototype is a type of sports prototype racing car developed specifically for the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series as their top class of car, replacing contemporary open cockpit sports cars, specifically Sports Racing Prototypes...
category. The team returned to Porsches in the lower categories in 2005 with a two-car effort with Synergy Racing, joined by corporate backing from Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in 2006. Team Seattle made another partnership in 2008, joining Farnbacher-Loles Racing.
2009 Le Mans entry
Team Seattle announced a partnership with Italian racing team AF CorseAF Corse
AF Corse is an Italian auto racing team founded by former racing driver Amato Ferrari in 2002 in Piacenza. Strongly linked to the Maserati and Ferrari brands, AF Corse currently competes in the Le Mans Series and International GT Open, and are currently four-time champions of the GT2 class of the...
to apply for an entry to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 77th Grand Prix of Endurance, an endurance auto race run over 24 hours. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest over June 13–14, 2009 and was started by Fiat and Ferrari chairman Luca...
, not only to raise funds for Seattle Children's, but also for the French Mecenant Chirurgie Cardiaque. Although initially being granted a reserve entry, Team Seattle was granted a full entry on March 31, 2009, following the withdrawal of another competitor. Team Seattle made use of a Ferrari F430
Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
GT2 from AF Corse's Advanced Engineering squad. Founder Don Kitch, Jr. and racing driver Joe Foster were joined by actor Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy he made several television appearances and was nominated for an Emmy Award...
, a regular competitor in the Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
.
Pledges to the team were raised not only by the car's lap total, but also by allowing donations in exchange for personal photos to be added to the car's paint scheme. The team expected to raise $1 million at the event.