Photo: Wayne Pearson
Top Formula Ford team Cliff Dempsey Racing has been sold by its eponymous team boss and rebranded as Low Dempsey Racing for 2020.
Formed in 1989, the long-lasting junior single-seater team is best known for running the Team USA and Team Canada Scholarship winners each year in the FFord Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy.
While most of its racing efforts have revolved around FFord, it has also competed in BRDC British Formula 3 (in association with Hillspeed), Irish Formula Opel, Formula Renault 2.0 UK and FR BARC.
Its FF1600 ventures have been its most successful, and its pole position in the 1990 FFord Festival final was the first for a non-works team in 12 years. Since then, it has won the Festival four times and the WHT six times.
“After a delayed start to the 2020 season, Cliff Dempsey Racing will resume testing this week under new management as Andy Low, who has worked for CDR and is a good friend of the team, takes the reigns after buying the team off Cliff and Michelle Dempsey at the end of 2019,” read a team statement announcing the new ownership.
“Now Low Dempsey Racing, the team is looking to start a new era in FFord but Cliff will remain as part of the team in order to ensure a smooth transition between owners.”
Low, 27, has also worked in Superleague Formula and F3 and has explained his decison to keep Dempsey’s name in his new team.
“We wanted the name to reflect the ownership change but equally we wanted to play homage to the past and include the Dempsey name,” he said. “The team has worked so hard over the last 30 years to establish themselves and build a great reputation that we didn’t want to throw that all away. Especially, as apart from myself, the team will remain the same as it was under Cliff.”
LDR already has three drivers signed for the upcoming BRSCC National FF1600 season, which has been shortened to three rounds due to the coronavirus pandemic. Reigning Festival winner Jonathan Browne stays on at the squad, and is joined by F1600 Championship Series frontrunner Bryce Aron and fellow American Grant Palmer.
Dempsey’s son Peter Dempsey, who took three of CDR’s WHT wins, also has his own team. Turn 3 Motorsport primarily competes in Indy Pro 2000, but also co-ran Dempsey Jr’s Festival entry last year with CDR.