In 2019, Demaras Racing put our support behind Racing to End Alheimer’s by helping organize fundraisers for the charity. In the years since, Phil Frengs and R2ENDALZ have continued their mission. A unique entity in professional motorsports, R2ENDALZ races a ‘rolling billboard’ for Alzheimer’s awareness.
The F1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix is one of the most anticipated racing weekends on the world’s racing calendar. Each year, hundreds of thousands of fans flock to the Miami International Autodrome to watch their favorite drivers compete at speeds of close to 200 miles per hour. The setting is incredibly unique, with cyan turnouts reflecting off the blur of multicolored cars as they race past grandstands of fans cheering beneath the South Florida sun. Typically reserved for the F1 series, the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America was the only support race being held on the legendary Miami track in 2023. The opportunity to race there is exceptional, and the team at Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK made the best of it this past weekend.
Pole position is sacred in the world of racing. Racing strategies form around starting position, solidifying or crumbling depending upon the outcome of qualifying. Starting from the front, teams are in the metaphorical driver’s seat. Victories are far from guaranteed, but the pressure to pass lies in the hands of those following the leader. Aggressive driving and attempts to overtake open the door for mistakes that can make pole position an insurmountable advantage. With this in mind, Mark Kvamme came out onto the Miami track and laid down a blistering lap to secure first pole position in Saturday’s race, setting the team up for success from the jump.
With temperatures hovering in the mid-eighties, tires and engines ran hot throughout the race. The Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK crew remained unfazed, ensuring the race plan took environment into account. In what was an accumulation of effort from the whole team, Kvamme maneuvered the purple and white clad Porsche through the Florida heat expertly This proved no easy feat, as caution periods marked what was a rough and tumble race with multiple collisions.
Managing to emerge unscathed, Mark Kvamme held his pole position lead or the entirety of the race. He crossed the finish line as he started: at the head of the Am pack!
On Sunday, the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK team found itself starting from the slightly less favorable second spot. At the green flag, Kvamme refused to be denied, quickly moving into the first-place position to which he has become accustomed. His primary competitors this season, Scott Noble, John Goetz and Michael Merritt, continued to keep the pressure on throughout.
In a race that was well executed from the top of the field to the bottom, it seemed as though one mistake would be the difference between the podium and a folding chair in the post-race paddock. With the way that Mark Kvamme is racing, though, mistakes are few and far between. Through each turn, including the gut-wrenching speed trap on 17 that took multiple casualties over the weekend, Mark kept his cool. He expertly fended off incursions, laid down consistently fast laps and kept the freight train momentum rolling through the finish line. At the checkered flag, Racing to End Alzheimer’s notched its fifth victory in a row!
Donations are accepted in any amount, but a donation of $250 allows supporters to see the name and hometown of a loved one impacted by Alzheimer’s on the R2ENDALZ race car. More information on R2ENDALZ can be found at www.r2endalz.org/