If Patrick Dempsey has his way, he'll add bus driver to his résumé.
"I'd love to have a nice bus so I could bring my kids racing with me," the Grey's Anatomy star, 43, told People magazine after a qualifying run in his Mazda RX-8 for Friday's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in Watkins Glen, N.Y., where he spent a weekend behind the wheel.
For the actor – who qualified for Saturday's Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen at position No. 9, the best in his racing career – balancing his passions with his family duties.
Patrick Dempsey has a daughter Talula, 7, and 2-year-old twin sons Darby and Sullivan with makeup-artist wife Jillian, who he wed in 1999. He calls it a delicate balancing act.
"I would be so happy if they were with me when I race," says Dempsey. "The kids are young so I need to find a great furnished vehicle for all of us so they can be with me on the track."
Dempsey, who's traveling around the world to race – including next week's 24 Hours of Le Mans in France – on his summer break from filming Grey's Anatomy, likens racing to acting.
"I am very focused," he says. "I sit and wait for a race the same way I wait for a scene to be shot on TV or in film. I pace myself emotionally and calm down so when I am on, I am on."
When Grey's Anatomy is on break, Dempsey' life is totally devoted to his racing career, which often coincides with fund-raising for favorite charities like breast cancer.
"When I am not with the kids, I spend all of my off time from the show working toward improving my racing skills," he says. "I love it. I love the healthy competition."
Though his wife and children weren't with him at Saturday's race, the Maine native's mother, sister and other family members were on hand to cheer him on.
"I grew up ski-racing with my family and to them being here feels like I've come home," he says. "I am looking forward to the day my own kids can be at my side."
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8 Comments
June 8th, 2009 10:17 AM
It's so sweet how much he loves his family. He's a really great guy.
June 8th, 2009 10:22 AM
awwww! i was so surprised at how many kids were at the race though, i'd say nearly 1/2 the teams had at least one kid on the "crew" and it was adorable.
it was cool meeting his mother too. i wanted to ask what she thought of his "mother" on greys, but i didnt haha
June 8th, 2009 12:18 PM
Anyone else notice that in the interview he gave at the race, he said he had an idea of which cast member would be leaving but he didn't know for sure. The way he said it, though, practically confirmed that indeed SOMEONE is leaving...
June 8th, 2009 3:44 PM
Yay for Patrick...I watched the race on Speed Channel...looks like lots of fun and lots of work! I hope he gets his wish and the family gets to go along on some of his races. There are always lots of kids at these events and I think they will love it. Plus, it would be fun for Jill to get to put him in his car! :) I wouldn't mind that particular task myself...lol.
June 9th, 2009 11:37 AM
Does this mean he's not doing a summer movie? I saw the cover of 'Made of honor' and the photo of Mr D does not flatter him at all
June 27th, 2009 11:03 PM
that our program is going so far here in our world and one to make it itanto ÑßÅ my face without explanation of parabens ta ... well I would do to see how he continues to anatony gray or already finished the recordings
July 13th, 2009 11:33 AM
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July 13th, 2009 1:24 PM
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