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Wehrlein to Make Daytona Debut with JDC-Miller

Katie Church on December 20, 2024

By Davey Euwema with Sportcar365.com

December 20, 2024

Pascal Wehrlein will make his Rolex 24 at Daytona debut in JDC-Miller Motorsports’ customer Porsche 963.

The reigning ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will team up with the previously confirmed Tijmen van der Helm and Bryce Aron aboard the No. 85 car for the Florida endurance classic.

Wehrlein previously tested with JDC-Miller at the IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona in November, after which he expressed a willingness to also join the team at the Rolex 24.

“I’ve always wanted to drive sports cars – that’s one of my goals as a racing driver,” said Wehrlein.

“Now I have the opportunity to prove myself there too. I’m very happy about that!

“The test drives with JDC-Miller Motorsports in mid-November went well.

“The Porsche 963 reminded me of the DTM cars of my time – I felt comfortable.

“I’m currently recovering from my accident in São Paulo. But I want to get back to full speed in January.”

The 30-year-old, who won his first Formula E title as a Porsche factory driver last season, also boasts previous experience in both Formula 1 and DTM, notably winning the championship in the latter in 2015.

Wehrlein also took part in a 36-hour endurance test with Porsche Penske Motorsport in 2022, although that at the time did not lead to any further opportunities with the factory squad.

Notably, Wehrlein’s Porsche Formula E teammate Antonio Felix da Costa will also be on the grid at Daytona, having joined Inter Europol Competition’s LMP2 lineup.

Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsport Step Up to GS with Porsche for 2025

Katie Church on November 13, 2024

November 13, 2024

After five successful years campaigning Audi equipment, 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot TCR Driver
and Team’s Champions Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports step up to the top class with a Porsche
718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport for 2025 and beyond.

A remarkable 11 victories, 17 podium finishes, and 9 pole positions highlight an extremely successful 5-year stint for Unitronic in partnership with JDC-Miller Motorsports and Audi, all culminating in clinching the 2024 championship, and finally bringing an end to Hyundai’s dominance in IMSA TCR over the past 5 seasons.

TCR Championship Win Fuels Ambitious 2025 Vision

A leading force behind the program, Unitronic’s John Staffi said proudly “Looking back, we’ve
had a lot of success in a relatively short period of time with Audi on the racing side. We’re
grateful for Audi Sport and the RS 3 LMS TCR machines, but we’ve achieved what we set out to
do [in motorsports] securing the 2024 TCR championship title—and we’ll absolutely continue to
drive innovation and set the bar higher on the Unitronic corporate side, delivering
industry-leading performance software and hardware solutions for Audi and Volkswagen road
cars. But always looking ahead, we’re excited to expand our reach in 2025, setting new
goals and driving the iconic Unitronic brand to new levels in business, in symphony with
our passion in motorsports.”

Stepping It Up with Porsche GT4 Entry

With momentum on their side the #17 team has decided to take things to the next level in
partnership with fellow Volkswagen Audi Group brand, Porsche Motorsport and their globally
successful GT4 platform. Fitted with a naturally aspirated 6-cylinder boxer engine in mid-engine
layout and a chassis known for its lightweight, well-balanced performance, Porsche finished the
2024 IMSA GS manufacturer in second position a mere 40 points adrift.

“We consider ourselves a family at Porsche. So, it feels right to have the No. 17
Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports team grow into a GS program with the Porsche 718 Cayman
GT4 RS Clubsport. As champions in the TCR class, we know they have the skill and the
experience that, when joined with the expertise and Porsche knowledge of its big brother, the
No. 85 Porsche 963, will make them a contender in the GS class very quickly. This is a perfect
example of what Porsche can offer and we are very excited to welcome another championship
winning program to the GT4 paddock.” said Volker Holzmeyer, President and CEO, Porsche
Motorsport North America.

Drivers Ready to Bring the Fight to GS class

“It’s bittersweet leaving Audi who we’ve had so many great memories with but I couldn’t be more
excited about our new Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport! Together with all our partners and crew
members I think we have built a fantastic operation, and we want to take things to the next level
and compete at the highest level we can. GS will be very different to TCR, the way the races
develop is very different and there will be a lot of learning, but we have a great driver lineup, the
best crew, the best partners and together with Porsche Motorsport North America we believe we
can do something great!” said South African born Mikey Taylor, who will continue into his 6th
year with the Minnesota based team.

Taylor’s co-driver of four years and IMSA veteran Chris Miller was upbeat about the continuity.
“To be able to continue on with most of the same people and partners that we have had so
much success with makes this move particularly special. We’ve proven that we have a
championship-winning combination and I’m excited to see what we can do in the
ultra-competitive GS class. I’ve always dreamt of racing a Porsche and I know it will be a
very special feeling when I drive the car for the first time. I’m very grateful for all the people
who worked hard to make this happen and couldn’t be more excited to get the season started in
a couple months!”

LIQUI MOLY Returns for New Racing Season

Continuing their successful technical partnership, LIQUI MOLY will once again be heavily
involved in the support of the team through motor oil and additive engineering, and highlighted
by two IMSA race events featuring the eye-catching LIQUI MOLY specific race livery. “We are
thrilled to continue our partnership with the JDC-Miller MotorSports team and Unitronic in 2025,”
said Eva Tran, Marketing Director at LIQUI MOLY . “Both LIQUI MOLY and Unitronic are
brands built on quality, innovation, and performance. Together, we bring that to the
racetrack, pushing our products to the limit in the most demanding conditions. What’s
exciting for us is that the same premium products we test on the track are available for everyone
to use off the track. This partnership is a testament to our commitment to excellence, and we
can’t wait to see what we achieve together in the coming season.”

Daytona Opener Just Months Away

The 10-round 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Championship kicks off with the official pre-season test,
The Roar Before The Rolex 24 on January 17-19 the first opportunity for teams to get their 2025
season preparations started at the World Center Of Racing, Daytona International Speedway.
The Roar is then directly followed a week later by the first race event of the year, the BMW M
Endurance Challenge at Daytona. A four-hour baptism of fire for the #17 Porsche 718
Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.

No. 17 JDC-Miller Audi Finished the Job This Year in TCR Title Drive

Katie Church on October 24, 2024

After Falling Just Shy in ’23, Drivers Miller and Taylor Led Determined Effort in ‘24

October 23, 2024

By David Phillips from IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – By almost any measure, the Unitronic/JDC-Miller Motorsports IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign last year was a success. Which means this season’s championship-winning effort in the Touring Car (TCR) class must be ranked as the ultimate triumph. After a slow start to the 2023 season, drivers Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor steered the No. 17 Audi RS3 LMS TCR to a trio of victories and a pair of runner-up finishes. The only thing missing was the TCR championship itself. A mechanical issue coming to the green flag at the season finale ended the title bid and left the team with unfinished business to attend in 2024. 

Suffice to say, Miller, Taylor and the JDC-Miller crew took care of that business this season, and then some. They captured four wins and two more podiums in the 10 races and, thanks to a dash of ironic mechanical mayhem, clinched the driver and team titles by simply taking the green flag at the Fox Factory 120 on Oct. 11, almost a year to the day after the ’23 championship hardware slipped through their fingers.

“Given what happened last year, going to the last race with a chance of winning and being able to control our own destiny, that was disappointing,” said JDC-Miller founder John Church. “But everybody rallied. We worked hard in the off-season to clean up some things like pit stops so they wouldn’t be part of the equation, and that worked out well for us.” 

But it wasn’t quite as simple or easy as the statistics might suggest. For openers, JDC-Miller again campaigned a lone Audi against a veritable armada of Hyundai Elantra N TCRs, no fewer than four fielded by Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian in a bid to claim its sixth consecutive driver and team crowns. There was also another perennial contender, the No. 5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR, as well as emerging potential winners like the No. 93 Montreal Motorsport Group Honda Civic FL5 TCR and No. 99 Victor Gonzales Racing Team Hyundai.

Relishing the status as giant killer, the No. 17 Audi opened the season with four wins and a third place to open a massive 220-point championship lead halfway through the season. The competition never quit, however. Defending TCR champions Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker won in the No. 33 Herta Hyundai at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Tim Lewis and William Tally guided the No. 5 KMW Alfa Romeo to victory at Road America. Dai Yoshihara and Karl Wittmer did the same in the No. 93 MMG Honda at VIRginia International Raceway, even as Miller and Taylor rebounded from an early “off” to finish seventh in the No. 17 Audi.

Still, when Mark Wilkins and Mason Filippi coaxed their fuel-efficient No. 98 BHA Hyundai to the win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway just clear of teammates Wickens and Gottsacker, JDC-Miller headed to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the finale with a 150-point lead looking to close the deal. 

Miller, though, crashed the No. 17 in qualifying, and when the BHA Hyundais qualified 1-2-3, JDC-Miller still had work to do, beginning with repairing the car. Needing only to finish 11th or better in class in the race, that was all but assured when the No. 73 Racers Edge Motorsports Honda Civic FK7 TCR withdrew after a mechanical issue in qualifying. It meant the No. 17 Audi needed only to be on the starting grid for Miller and Taylor to earn the drivers’ title and Unitronic/JDC-Miller to claim the team championship. This time, there would be no issues on the pace lap and Miller and Taylor duly came home a conservative but jubilant sixth in the race.

“Our guys started the season well and capitalized when they could,” Church said. “We had a couple of tough races through the year, but in the end, they did what they needed to do to finish out the year and championship. It was a whole team effort where everybody contributed, and I’m super proud of the effort everybody put in.”

All of which is not to say there was no drama in the season finale. After leading most of the last half of the two-hour race, Tyler Gonzalez was forced to bring the No. 99 Victor Gonzalez Hyundai to the pits for a splash of fuel as he was about to take the white flag. Thus, Wilkins, Filippi and the No. 98 BHA Hyundai took their second straight win to clinch the runner-up spots in the driver and team championships by just 10 points over Wickens, Gottsacker and the No. 33 Hyundai. It also put an exclamation point on Hyundai’s unprecedented fifth straight TCR manufacturer championship.

“A fifth manufacturers championship in a row here in IMSA,” Filippi said. “It just shows how hard Bryan Herta Autosport works and our Hyundai is really good at this championship, a really good car and reliability. We have a lot challengers here and it’s fun to compete in TCR, so it’s a big accomplishment.”  

Unitronic JDC-Miller Clinch 2024 IMSA TCR Championship

Katie Church on October 17, 2024

October 17, 2024 from getunitronic.com

After 10 thrilling rounds of heated IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge racing, the Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team is thrilled to claim the title of 2024 IMSA TCR Champions! This season was marked by many intense battles and unforgettable moments on the track. Heading into the final race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the team remained focused on its objective and all that hard work paid off in the best way possible.

Official Standings

As it Happened in Braselton, GA

Coming off a strong P3 finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a 150-point championship lead, the Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team was in a good position to take it all but the relentless factory-backed Hyundai teams still remained within striking distance. Practice 1 and 2 allowed for final setup changes, but nothing could prepare the team for Thursday evening’s qualifying session incident.

As the sun was setting over turn 3 at Road Atlanta, visibility was dwindling fast and the #17 Audi lost control over a curb and collided with a safety barrier. Miraculously, Miller got the car moving again while avoiding a red flag and he would even go on to improve his qualifying time which was a true testament to the team’s “never give up” attitude. The Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team would start Friday’s 2-hour Fox Factory 120 race from P7 but not before a long night of repairs.

On race day, only 11 teams made it to the starting grid instead of the anticipated 12 and with a 150-point differential between P1 and P11, the team would simply have to make it past the start line to clinch the championship win. Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor went on to finish the race without taking any unnecessary risks and ultimately crossed the line in P6 with their heads up high, surrounded by cheering fans, crew, family and friends.

Breaking the Hyundai Stronghold

“I am so proud to be able to finally get this championship! All the hard work over the last 5 years has led to this and there couldn’t be a more deserving group of people in the paddock. Everyone has worked so hard week in and week out so it’s nice to finally get this reward!

I don’t think people realize the level at which IMSA TCR is right now, you really have to piece everything together to have a shot at beating the factory supported Hyundai team who have great driver line ups and a fantastic program! To be the first team to break their stronghold on the TCR class means a lot to a little one-car team like us! We put everything we had into this one, and I’m so relieved it all worked out! A special thanks to all our partners who have been on this journey with us and stuck with us through the thick and thin!” said Mikey Taylor.

Miller Reflects on the Tough Racing Season

“Obviously it would have been great to end the season with a win but our goal with this program since we started years ago was to win a championship and it’s a massive achievement by everyone involved to be able to deliver that. I’m so grateful to everyone for their hard work this year. We faced a lot of adversity beginning at Daytona when we thought we may not start the race and then the second half of the season definitely didn’t go as smoothly as we wanted, but everyone showed great resilience.

I feel very lucky to have had such a great teammate, crew, group of engineers, partners and countless other supporters who I got to be a part of this with. Special thanks to Unitronic, JDC-Miller Motorsports, and my family for always believing in us. Championships are very hard to win and I think we will all be celebrating this one for a while!” said Chris Miller.

Thankful for the Outpouring of Support

This championship win is not just a testament to the skill of our drivers but also to the dedication of the entire Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team. From the crew to our technical partners, every detail mattered, and everyone gave it their all. Now, we celebrate this incredible achievement, reflect on an unforgettable season, and look forward to what’s next. Thank you to our partners, fans, and everyone who supported us along the way!