When the #80 Racing to End Alzheimer’s/BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 gets the green flag at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta this weekend, co-drivers Nick Galante and Dillon Machavern hope to give the non-profit something to cheer about for the third year in a row.
Racing to End Alzheimer’s has been competing since 2017 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series, and the BMW looks different than any other car that will be on track throughout the iconic Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta. That is because the purple car is covered in the names and hometowns of people who have or had Alzheimer’s.
Each race season, donors can add the name and hometown of a loved one with their $250 donation. The name stays on the car all year, so that by the end of the season, the BMW is covered in names. More than 135 names will be on the car at Road Atlanta.
The names are both a tribute and a vital fundraiser for Racing to End Alzheimer’s. Since the inception of Racing to End Alzheimer’s in 2017, the non-profit has to date raised over $300,000, with 100% of the proceeds going to groups like UCLA’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program and the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist Hospital. The ability to donate all proceeds is thanks to sponsors like Legistics. The company not only covers administrative fees but also matches every donation made, doubling its impact.
Galante and Machavern hope to give all those names the ultimate racing tribute by putting the BMW out front in Friday’s race. It would be the third consecutive Petit LeMans that resulted in success for Racing to End Alzheimer’s. In 2018, Galante and co-driver Devin Jones clinched the ST class championship there. Last year, Galante and James Vance crossed the line third in the TCR class.
This year, Racing to End Alzheimer’s is competing in the GS class, the top tier of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series. “Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has been a challenging and special place for me year after year,” says Galante. “Being able to give back to the hundreds of contributors and all of their families drives me to dig a little deeper out there. I’m looking forward to being up on that podium with everyone.”
The two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge FOX Factory 120 will get the green flag at 3:35pm ET on Friday, October 16. IMSA.tv and TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will both have live coverage.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
- NHRA announces eight-race schedule for 2024 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series - January 17, 2024
- Forgeline and Pratt Miller Motorsports Announce New Multi-Year Partnership - January 17, 2024
- TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein converts narrow pole to commanding win in the Season 10 opener of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the 2024 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix - January 16, 2024