When Nick Galante roared off the Laguna Seca starting line in 2017, he was behind the wheel of the first ever Racing to End Alzheimer’s race car. Back then, that familiar flash of purple carried our fledgling organization into a future that was difficult to imagine. What started as an idea born from love and determination has morphed into something more than just a racing team or philanthropic effort. With time, it has become something into which we can pour our emotions — elation in victory, sadness in defeat, comfort in feeling useful and connected in community. To be on this journey is to have felt all of those things, and to be assured that there are others feeling them right alongside you.
Nowhere was that more evident than at Racing to End Alzheimer’s return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a couple of weekends ago. With our founder’s late wife, Mimi Frengs, at the front of our minds, we watched two team cars run in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. One car was the result of a new and exciting partnership for the 2025 season, and the other was driven by a familiar face. 100 races after his debut in sportscar racing, Nick Galante got behind the wheel of the No. 31 Audi RS3 LMS to carry us yet again, at blistering speed, into an uncertain but endlessly hopeful future.
In With the Old, In With the New
Galante and co-driver Luke Rumburg ran their Audi in the TCR class as a special one-off race with the help of Speed Syndicate and RVA Graphics. In the adjacent paddock, Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe debuted the brand new No.19 Ford Mustang GT4 for Racing to End Alzheimer’s/Stephen Cameron Racing. The partnership puts the purple Racing to End Alzheimer’s livery on a powerful orange Mustang, creating a color combination that we didn’t know we needed!
From the jump, it was clear that conditions wouldn’t make this an easy homecoming. With the hot Northern California sun beating down on a slick track, Quinlan steered the Mustang into a number 16 starting position on the grid while Galante translated his experience into a top-ten starting position in class. With such a crowded field and few opportunities to pass on race day, qualifying would prove incredibly important.
At the start of Saturday’s race, 40 cars set off, each vying for any space it could find. At places like Laguna Seca, the first lap can make or break a race. The field is so condensed that even just maintaining position requires a herculean effort. In what can only be described as a melee, Galante got tapped a couple of times but maintained his handling and composure.
Despite the white-knuckle first lap, both cars emerged unscathed and settled in as the field spread out. At the 40-minute mark, they took the opportunity to hit the pit lane for new tires and drivers.
With fresh sets of wheels and eyes, the Mustang and Audi ripped back onto the track within striking distance of the top 10.
With an hour left in the race, the yellow flag came out, slowing the field down with Liefooghe’s Mustang in 18th and Rumburg’s Audi in 13th. But even during a caution, there are strategic decisions to be made. With the fuel meter running low, frenzied calculations happen at a blistering pace. A drop or two of fuel can mean crossing the finish line, or sputtering out before reaching the checkered flag.
With this in mind, Rumburg made a strategic dash to the pit during the caution period. Liefooghe, who had a little bit more fuel, opted to keep his position until the green flag came out.
At the restart there was a brief moment of full throttle racing, but it was broken up by two more caution periods. With thirty minutes left, the field was let loose again, and Liefooghe and Rumburg took advantage. The Mustang and Audi stealthily moved up in their respective fields, picking off positions with skillful passes. By the checkered flag, Liefooghe was in 10th place and Rumburg finished in 11th.
Years of Change
Maybe it was watching Galante compete for the 100th time, or coming home to Laguna Seca, but something about this race weekend felt different. Eight years have certainly changed us. We’ve watched thousands of track miles, honored hundreds of champions and raced dozens of cars. We’ve seen our community grow, delighting in the people but wishing more than anything that the circumstances were different. And we’ve come to know loss — of family, of friends, of loved ones.
But through it all, one thing has remained the same. To help find a cure for Alzheimer’s feels as urgent now as it did on day one. This mission gives us purpose, it motivates us and it brings us together. We can’t afford to give up, and we certainly don’t intend to.
Thank you for being part of the race.
