His popular television character was written out of the show’s script earlier this year, but Patrick Dempsey starred in a different show this summer. Dempsey realized his racing dream by finishing on the podium at the fabled 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Dempsey’s well-earned second place finish at Le Mans in the popular GTE-AM class, which combines Pro and Amateur drivers, was the result of his own long running sports car racing program. Dempsey has spent the past decade building his racing skills and experience here in
North America and on the international stage.

He was joined aboard a Porsche 911 RSR by fellow American and Porsche factory ace Patrick Long and Germany’s Marco Seefried, as his Dempsey–Proton Racing team took on Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette rivals in the class.

“It’s hard to put into words what this means,” an emotional Dempsey told Eurosport Television at Le Mans.

After running in contention for podiums at Le Mans in both 2013, when they led midway and finished fourth, and again with a fifth place finish in 2014, Dempsey shifted his racing focus to the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

“This is my third Le Mans attempt with Patrick
(Dempsey) and we’ve always dreamed of climbing the podium together. Now this dream has come true,” said Long at Le Mans.

The two Americans and Seefried arrive at the WEC’s sole North American stop, The Lone Star Le Mans, fresh from a fourth place class finish at the Nurburgring.

They are ranked fourth in the GTE-AM class championship as the second half of the 2015 WEC series begins.

A podium in the six-hour WEC race here in Texas would be a nice plot twist.