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Patrick Dempsey has been in the acting business for a long time, embarking on a career as a thespian in the ’80s before transitioning to character roles in the ’90s. Following several notable film gigs, he eventually landed the role that would define his acting career — Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd in the beloved medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. These days, Dempsey is a huge star, but his true passion lies elsewhere — in the world of automobile racing. Over the years, he has opened up a few times about his deep love for racing, admitting that it makes him feel “alive.”

Patrick Dempsey is best known for his work on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

In 2005, Dempsey’s big TV break came when he was cast as “McDreamy.” As television’s newest heartthrob, he made waves. He went on to appear on the show for 10 full years before taking a step back in 2015. A few years later, Dempsey would reprise his role in the series through a few much-hyped flashback episodes.

Dempsey has acted in a number of other TV shows and films as well, including movies like Made of Honor, Valentine’s Day, Enchanted, Bridget Jones’s Baby, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and Disenchanted. He’s earned acclaim as a talented and versatile performer who is much more than just a pretty face.

Patrick Dempsey has pursued a racing career for years

patrick dempsey racing
Patrick Dempsey unveils the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR as his team is selected to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the press day of the 84th International Motor Show which will showcase novelties of the car industry on March 4, 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. | Harold Cunningham/Getty Images

Although Dempsey is undoubtedly best known as an actor, for years, he has fervently pursued his hobby as a race car driver. He not only maintains an impressive vintage car collection, but he has competed professionally as a driver for many years. In fact, Dempsey himself has claimed that he has a lot more passion for driving than for acting. “I feel most at home within the paddock and around fellow racers, and I think it lends itself because my original passion was to race and to ski, and speed,” he told the New York Times in 2014.

The veteran actor and race car driver has even won a few of the races that he’s competed in. This includes the Fuji round in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship. He has also competed in such prestigious events as the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 race. 

What has Patrick Dempsey said about his love for racing?

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Dempsey counts on his racing career to help him rejuvenate after days on the set. In 2013, he told Today that he’s contemplated leaving acting in order to focus on racing full-time. “Work on a TV show doesn’t change,” Dempsey said. “In a race, it changes constantly, every lap, every corner, every moment of that day, and that’s very exciting. And it keeps me alive. And then I can go back to work and enjoy it.” He also praised the “purity” of racing, noting that that element is missing from his work in the acting field.

At the time, Dempsey was still portraying Derek in Grey’s Anatomy. As he told Today, his love for racing isn’t a slight to his other line of work. “I’m not necessarily bored with the show. I’m incredibly grateful to have a show that’s been on for 10 years,” Dempsey mused. He added, “I’m glad I have the gig, but it’s not the same as being in a race car.” For Dempsey, it seems as though his thriving acting career has allowed him to focus on the hobby that he really loves and the one he turns to again and again.

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