A group of cyclists from the GRAND-AM Road Racing community that included champion driver Joe Foster, Mazda's Jim Jordan and several Dempsey Racing team members and friends joined forces with a another top group of riders in generating over $60,000 in donations in the second annual Dempsey Challenge presented by Amgen, which was held earlier this month to benefit The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center.

Organized by top movie and television actor and Foster's Dempsey Racing co-driver and racing business partner Patrick Dempsey, the 2010 edition of the Dempsey Challenge attracted more than 4,000 participants to Maine from 38 states and five countries. The two-day weekend bicycling and walking event, held October 2 - 3, raised over $1.1 million for the Dempsey Center.

Named in tribute to the Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 GT GRAND-AM Rolex Series team and its partnership with Mazda, Dempsey Racers Zoom Zoom had 13 team riders participate in various segments of the ride ranging from 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles in length. Thanks to the generosity of its many racing friends, partners and associates, Dempsey Racers Zoom Zoom led all individual teams with $32,378 in donations in a true gesture of philanthropic sportsmanship.

Maine-native Dempsey participated in the 50-mile cycling ride. "For an event only in its second year The Dempsey Challenge has really turned into something special," Dempsey said. Dempsey created the Challenge as the primary annual fundraiser for the Dempsey Center, which provides free support, education and wellness services to cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. Dempsey founded the Center in March, 2008 as a response to his mother's multiple battles with ovarian cancer.