July 7, 2023
Los Angeles, California – The Racing to End Alzheimer's team will take on next weekend’s Honda Indy Toronto, with Nick Galante contesting the Sports Car Championship Canada presented by Michelin, behind the wheel of a very special Mercedes AMG GT4 prepared by Toronto-based VPX Motorsport.
“I appreciate that this opportunity came about,” said Galante. “I’ve known Chris Bye (President of St. Catharines-based FEL Motorsports, who owns the Canadian series) for a few years through the IMSA paddock. He’s been trying to help us find a way to come run with them and this came together with a local team – VPX Motorsport – for Phil and me to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s in Canada.”
The No. 77 Mercedes gives families the chance to honor loved ones who have suffered from alzheimer’s disease. For a $250 donation, the family member’s name and hometown is placed on the car, and their photo can be posted on the R2EndAlz website’s tribute page. All donations are matched by Legistics (Phil Frengs), VPX Motorsport (Vince Partap, M.D.) and FEL Motorsport (in the name of Barbara Glover), which means that a $250 donation becomes $1000 – with 100% going to the Alzheimer Society of Toronto.
Racing to End Alzheimer's partner in Toronto will be VPX Motorsport, led by Interventional Radiologist Dr. Vince Partap. He notes the similarities between the levels of precision and teamwork involved in both medicine and racing.
“The level of excellence we have to practice in medicine is what I am trying to replicate in racing, where every millisecond counts,” said Dr. Partap. “I accomplish this by giving people in my organization the guidance and opportunity to do just that. When I select partners, I select them not just for their name on the car, but their willingness to support people.
Because ultimately, supporting people is why racing succeeds, why medicine succeeds and why charity succeeds. I believe that Phil and I share similar principles and why we have so easily collaborated to bring that organization to Canada and can work together to drive its future success here.”
Galante and Frengs met in 2017 and formed a fast friendship. Frengs’ company Legistics began to sponsor Galante, who would go on to win 2016 and 2018 championship titles in what is now the Michelin Pilot Challenge.
But Frengs’ wife Mimi was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, and in 2017, he formed Racing to End Alzheimer’s as a way to help other families honor their loved ones, and to raise money and awareness about the terrible disease. Galante was happy to race in the new livery, as the fight is also a very personal one for him.
“Alzheimer’s affected my family as well – I lost my grandmother to the disease 10 years ago, and recently lost my aunt as well. There isn’t much you can do to help, but Phil wanted to do something in Mimi’s honor, so he created this charity to make a difference while she is going through what’s now her 10-year final journey.”
Galante has continued competing under the Racing to End Alzheimer’s banner, in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series and in GT4 America. They plan to make the most of the opportunity to compete in Toronto and bring the message of hope north of the border. For Frengs, the race car presents an opportunity to raise money for the cause – and to help loved ones feel as though they, too, had made a difference.
“My job at the racetrack is to educate, but probably my most important job is to be chief hugger, because we end up doing a lot of hugging,” said Frengs. “People will be having a conversation with me and, all of the sudden, their eyes glass up thinking about the person that’s been affected. For most of them, I reach out and give them a hug and say, ‘It’s okay. It’s my wife, too. I know.’
“This gives me some purpose,” Frengs continued.
“Watching someone go through this disease, the two things that come to mind are how helpless you feel and how hopeless you feel. So, I feel this is my calling and my opportunity to do something.”
The Sports Car Championship Canada joins the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at the Honda Indy Toronto, contesting a tripleheader of races: Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 4:35 p.m., and Sunday at Noon. The races will be live streamed on the FEL Motorsports YouTube channel.
About Racing to End Alzheimer's
In 2013, Phil Frengs’ wife Mimi was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Their experience with the disease led Frengs to a seminal moment: his company, Legistics, had long sponsored a team in IMSA sports car racing and he realized an opportunity to raise money and awareness for the fight against the disease. In 2017, he formed Racing to End Alzheimer's, giving fans the opportunity to honor loved ones by putting their names on the race car via donation – with Legistics matching each contribution.
About the Alzheimer Society of Toronto
The Alzheimer Society of Toronto provides free counselling and education to people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, their families, and caregivers. They deliver specialised training and professional development for frontline health-care providers, and public education and awareness events to increase accessibility to dementia information.
https://alz.to/
Racing to End Alzheimer’s