SEATTLE, Wa — Perhaps it is a scene out of a television pilot, but actor Patrick Dempsey (at right), who stars as Dr. Derek  Shepherd (aka Dr. Mc Dreamy) on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy will get a shot at the grand old dame of racing, the 24 hours of Le Mans when the green flag drops this June as a part of the Seattle Advanced Engineering team which was just invited to join the party as the result of the withdrawal of The Gigawave Motorsport Ltd Aston Martin DBR9 from the event.

In compliance with the ACO regulations the place left vacant by the Aston Martin’s withdrawal goes to the first reserve car on the list of invitations, no matter what its category: namely, the Ferrari 430 GT (LM GT2) entered by the Seattle Advanced Engineering team.

Dempsey  is not a newcomer to the sport having seat time in several different series. Amongst them he has driven the pace car in the Indianapolis 500, and raced in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. He is currently the co-owner of IndyCar Series team Vision Racing. In 2008 he competed in 5 of the 12 Rolex Sports Car Series racing series races.

Dempsey, along with his business and racing partner Joe Foster, will share duties with Don Kitch Jr., to complete the three driver team for the Le Mans race. Dempsey says “I am honored to accept the opportunity to help Team Seattle and enhance the efforts to fund the infant heart program at Seattle Children’s Hospital.”

This has been two years of blood, sweat, and tears for Kitch whose team was not originally chosen to participate at Le Mans. However, when the Aston Martin withdrew, it was Team Seattle who was slotted next and Kitch added,” It was tough not to be chosen initially, but the ACO has its process and I was really happy to get the call this morning

You can get additional information at the Seattle Advanced Engineering team at their web site, www.teamseattle.com. There are several different opportunities to be a part of the team on the site. Of course if you have an extra $100,000 you can assist with the sponsorship of the car but there are two other very important opportunities to participate.

There is the flat pledge — $1 per lap or whatever you choose to give that goes to Seattle Children’s Hospital. There is also a new program — “My face raced at Le Mans” where you can have your picture on the car that will race at Le Mans.