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TALKS are continuing to bring Hollywood star Patrick Dempsey to Bathurst for next year’s 12 Hour endurance race.
The actor, nicknamed “McDreamy”, for his role in hit television series Grey’s Anatomy, is also a keen racer and is the lead driver of his own team.
He has previously expressed an interest in racing at Mount Panorama and talks were taken to a new level when organisers of the Bathurst 12 Hour started discussions with Competition America pit manager Bob Faieta.
Faieta looks after one of Dempsey’s cars and also a car owned by rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
Councillor Warren Aubin said there remains a chance that both will be in Bathurst for the 12 Hour in February.
“We haven’t got absolute confirmation yet but the people I have spoken to say they would like to get over here,” he said.
“It would be just like a boys’ weekend away for them.”
Meanwhile, council has signed off on a plan to send Cr Aubin to Malaysia later this month to continue sourcing new teams for the 12 Hour.
He will attend the Sepang 12 Hour and speak to team managers who might want to come to Bathurst.
High on the agenda will be discussions about a proposed four-race 12 Hour series that would include events in Bathurst, Singapore, Malaysia and China.
Cr Aubin hopes the series would become an annual event that would guarantee cars on the grid for the Bathurst 12 Hour.
“With the V8s, you have 30 cars coming here every year because it’s part of the series, so we don’t have to go chasing them,” he said.
“But with the 12 Hour, we have to go searching for entries each year.
“If we had a series, though, that would mean a core group of 30-40 vehicles from around the world that would come every year.”
Cr Aubin said 12 Hour promoter James O’Brien had already held discussions with international teams and there was significant support for the proposal.
Cr Aubin will also stop over in Singapore for further talks with local teams.