The JDC-Miller MotorSports will be racing the No. 85 Porsche 963 GTP to stop cancer at this weekend’s Battle On The Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. September is Child Cancer Awareness Month, which has an official color of yellow.
The IMSA community provided a tremendous outpouring of support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® patient Colton at Road America, so the JDC-Miller MotorSports team decided to invite St. Jude patient Grayson and his family to join their effort for the six hours of the Battle On The Bricks.
St.Jude patient Colton enjoying the fan walk at Road America.
Not only will Grayson be joining the team, but so will a couple of hundred other JDC-Miller MotorSports and St. Jude supporters who joined the LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. campaign. The team kicked this effort off with a “team meeting” at the JDC-Miller MotorSports shop, with over 200 joining in. The meeting consisted of a Porsche 963 technical presentation, a display of the team’s freshly restored 2016 Rolex winning Prototype Challenge Oreca, and various other activities. The highlight was a couple of live pit-stop demonstrations with fan Q&A. Photos are here: St. Jude Benefit – Dropbox.
For the race, we will be placing special LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. stickers on the Porsche 963 with a message written by the supporter. A $250 donation puts your yellow sticker on the car and a $500 donation receives a larger black and yellow sticker. Supporters are encouraged to write whatever they like for the six-hour trip around IMS. Supporters have already donated over $25,000 to St. Jude.
Want to put your name on the JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963? There is still time, and we would love to have your help by inviting your friends and family to join in this important race…the race to end childhood cancer! All donations are tax-deductible and donors who make a gift of $250, $500, or more receive a customized LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. sticker with an opportunity to add their message and be showcased at the Battle On The Bricks. (Email here if you wish to do this.) Click here to read more about the JDC-Miller MotorSports partnership and to donate today, or just go to www.stjude.org/jdc.
The race will be carried on Peacock from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, with the final three hours on NBC.
In the high-octane world of motorsports, where speed and precision dominate, JDC-Miller MotorSports is accelerating toward a cause that matters more than any checkered flag. This year, the racing team has ignited a powerful partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, driven by a commitment to ending childhood cancer.
Since the inception of JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 GTP program in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship series, the team has had a close relationship with its local Porsche dealers. Porsche Minneapolis – St. Paul have also been major supporters of St. Jude. This symbiotic relationship came together when the dealership introduced the team to one of their customers who wanted to support the team but decided not to promote his business on the car to the millions of fans that globally follow the series. “He was also a St. Jude supporter, so his two passions were married together, and the St. Jude logo prominently went on the Porsche’s flanks,” explained Katie Church, JDC-Miller MotorSports operations manager.
By aligning with St. Jude, the sponsor not only supported the team but also contributed to a cause close to his heart. That was the starting indicator for the JDC-Miller MotorSports team to go from 0 to 206 mph with their commitment to St. Jude and its lifesaving mission: Finding cures. Saving children.®
“St. Jude is a powerful brand with a mission that resonates deeply with us,” Roger Johnson, partner relationships manager at JDC-Miller MotorSports explained. “Everyone we talk to knows St. Jude and appreciates the incredible work they do. A day doesn’t go by when someone in the paddock doesn’t comment ‘that’s cool’ when they see St. Jude on the side of the car. The JDC-Miller MotorSports team is very much a family, and we appreciate how St. Jude supports the whole family.”
When an opportunity came up to host a patient family at the Road America race, the JDC-Miller MotorSports team extended its family to St. Jude patient Colton, his mom and his sister.The entire IMSA community, as well as Porsche, embraced this effort, from Colton being greeted by IMSA President John Doonan to his mom, Colleen, going for a ride around the track in a Porsche 911 GTS.
Colton, a St. Jude patient and racing fan, became a part of the racing team. He stood with the crew for the national anthem and flyover, handed out St. Jude autograph cards and joined the team behind the scenes. Now a healthy 10-year-old, Colton’s presence on race day was a heartwarming reminder of why the team’s efforts matter.
“Colton’s mom, Colleen, shared his story with us, and I can’t imagine having a 17-month-old with a brain tumor,” said Roger. “With the support of St. Jude, she didn’t have to worry about paying for treatment, travel, housing or food. She was able to focus on the one thing that mattered – getting her son healthy.”
“We ran three different cars that weekend and one finished on the podium,” said Roger. “Colton joined our team in Victory Circle to experience the celebration and was gifted the champagne-soaked Michelin hat as a memento of his visit to Victory Circle.” JDC driver Tijmen van der Helm signed the driving gloves he wore in the race and sent them home with Colton as well.
The team’s commitment extended beyond the track. A remarkable fundraising effort at the shop included a silent auction, a pit stop demonstration, technical presentations of the unique hybrid-powered Porsche 963 GTP and opportunities for fans to join the JDC-Miller team for the St. Jude Walk/Run. The initiative has evolved rapidly, gaining significant traction and showcasing how passion for racing can drive substantial support for St. Jude.
Although the JDC-Miller team may be small, it has a global reach. “Our drivers are from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands,” said Katie. With St. Jude’s efforts toward ending childhood cancer globally, the connection to supporting all kids and families around the world is one that JDC-Miller MotorSports is passionate about. “We are known as the ‘little engine that could’ in the racing community,” laughed Katie. “We are small but mighty, and we’re excited to continue to support St. Jude and kids like Colton.”
As the partnership continues to grow, it’s clear that the synergy between JDC-Miller MotorSports and St. Jude is about more than just racing. It’s about harnessing the energy and visibility of motorsports to fuel the fight against childhood cancer.
“Now, we are inviting others to showcase their support for St. Jude on our car through sticker donations,” said Katie.
With donations to St. Jude, donors receive a customized LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. sticker with an opportunity to add their message and be showcased at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway race on September 22, 2024. “Indy is a six-hour endurance race where speeds approach 200 mph,” said Roger. We’re excited to bring St. Jude donors to Indy and take their message for a ride. A fun way for everyone to contribute and raise awareness for the St. Jude mission.”
The race will be carried on Peacock from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT with the final three hours on NBC.
As JDC-Miller MotorSports races towards a future where childhood cancer is a thing of the past, their dedication to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital remains unwavering. This collaboration is a reminder that in the pursuit of greatness, the greatest victories are those that make a difference in the lives of children and their families.
Join the JDC-Miller MotorSports team in supporting the kids and St. Jude, as they aim to raise $85,000 in honor of their car number 85 by visiting stjude.org/jdc.
No. 17 Drivers and Crew Focused on Capturing TCR Championship that Eluded Them in 2023
“We’ve got a new input shaft going in at Indy.”
So says John Church, JDC Motorsports founder in discussing plans for the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR (second gen) in the upcoming IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
No wonder. Church’s Minnesota-based operation was in position to win the Touring Car (TCR) class driver and team championships coming to the green flag at last year’s season finale, the Fox Factory 120 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The No. 17 Audi was on the pole and a mere 20 points behind No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR and its co-drivers, Harry Gottsacker and Robert Wickens.
But all that promise turned to ashes when the yellow Audi coasted to a stop on the pace lap.
“We had a car that was capable of winning and we didn’t even get to the start/finish line before it broke,” says a rueful Church. “An input shaft failed, literally broke in half. So that’s been replaced once or twice already this year. And we’ve got a new one going in at Indy, to make sure.”
Fast forward to 2024 where Miller, Taylor and the JDC-Miller team are in a stronger position to vie for the TCR championships heading into the final two events on the calendar. Following a hard-fought seventh-place finish Aug. 24 at VIRginia International Raceway, they own a 170-point lead over their same nemeses, Gottsacker, Wickens and the No. 33 Hyundai. And given that JDC-Miller is the defending TCR winner at Indianapolis, not to mention the Michelin Raceway pole winner, it would appear the No. 17 is in the proverbial catbird’s seat.
“I told the guys after VIR we’re in a lot better spot than we were last year,” Church says. “We went to Indy 60 points back (in ’23) and we got the gap down to minus-20 going to (Michelin Raceway) with a mindset, ‘If you win the race, it doesn’t matter what anybody else does.’ So, we’re in a much better position points-wise based on our run at the beginning of the year. We’ve been competitive everywhere and there’s no reason to believe that will change. We just have to keep doing what we’re doing and execute, and hopefully the results will come.”
JDC-Miller’s strong position in the driver and team championships reflects the fact the team was ready, willing and able to win races from the drop of this season’s first green flag. In contrast, while they were surely willing to win races in ’23 from the get-go, the “ready” and “able” parts were lacking thanks to the “second generation” part of their Audi’s moniker. Given that newer Audi sported a host of improvements and updates to the tried-and-true Audi RS3 LMS, with which JDC-Miller had previously shown race-winning form, it took the team a few races to become fully competitive.
Not so this year. The No. 17 Audi swept the opening three rounds and finished third at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course before returning to the top step of the podium at Watkins Glen International. Although a DNF (while leading) followed at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, they were back on form at Road America to finish fourth.
Which brings us to the opening laps at VIR, where the JDC-Miller Audi plowed into the tire wall at Oak Tree Bend while running third and dropped well down the order. Ultimately, Miller and Taylor mounted a strong recovery to come home seventh and limit their points loss to the No. 33 Hyundai, their cause aided when Gottsacker and Wickens finished in third place.
Not that Miller and Taylor had it easy. As they have all season, they faced long odds in the numbers game given that their Audi was up against the four-car flotilla of BHA Hyundais, none of which gave an inch during their recovery drive – witness the No. 17 Audi’s caved-in driver door.
“Unfortunately, we got ourselves into a hole early,” Church says. “Until we did that we were in good shape, but it was just a small mistake by Chris (Miller). But in the end, it worked out, despite some of the other cars trying to take us out. All in all, it definitely could have been worse, but we survived and carry a decent points lead to Indy, so no complaints.”
Thus, they head to the penultimate round of the season on Sept. 21 in search of another strong finish, one that will make their task three weeks later at Michelin Raceway simpler.
“Right now, the way it sits is if we have a 170-point lead leaving Indy, depending on how many cars show up (for the Fox Factory 120), we’d pretty much only have to start the race,” Church says. “So, that’s your ideal scenario. You could essentially lock it up after Indy by carrying enough of a gap in points that no matter what anybody else does, all you have to do is start the race and there’s not enough points on the table for them to take it away from you.
“We’re in a great position,” he continues. “It’s due to the drivers and team doing a great job, so there’s no reason to change the recipe. We’re confident, the guys are confident and we just have to keep digging, mind our Ps and Qs and hopefully have a solid race. If not, we’ll just go to (Michelin Raceway) with our elbows out!”
And don’t be surprised if there’s another new input shaft in the mix as well.
The JDC-Miller MotorSports team had a very rewarding weekend at Road America. Surrounded by friends, family, and fans, we achieved strong on-track results and also had a great deal of off-track activity with our wide range of supporters.
The weekend got off to a good start on Saturday when Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor’s No. 17 Audi RS3 LMS clawed their way through the Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR class field to a fourth-place finish. Importantly, this increased their championship points lead by 70 points to a 220-point advantage.
In the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, the No. 85 Porsche GTP team improved steadily over the course of the hot and humid weekend. Starting from the 8th position, drivers Richard Westbrook and Tijmen van der Helm had good pace and stayed in contention throughout the 2 hour and 40 minute race. The crew provided fast and error-free pit-stops. The race featured five full course yellows which challenged the drivers with cold-tire restarts. Van der Helm was quick in the final stint to take the checker for a 6th place finish.
For the Road America round, the team entered the No. 79 Oreca 07 LMP2 for Gerry Kraut and Scott Andrews for what will be their only appearance in 2024. Kraut ran a quick and error-free first stint before turning the car over to Andrews to take it home. Andrews worked his way through the field, culminating in a finish on the second step of the podium.
The highlight of the weekend, however, was the visit by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® patient Colton, his sister Malea, and mom Colleen. They came to the track to help JDC-Miller MotorSports kick off a two-month-long fundraising effort for our partner, St. Jude. Colton’s big day kicked off with a visit from IMSA President John Doonan, welcoming him to Road America and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. Then, driver, Richard Westbrook, took Colton for a tour of the No. 85 Porsche. Thanks to IMSA and Porsche, Colleen, took a “Hot Lap” in a Porsche 911 GTS around the 4 miles of Road America. Colton was introduced to the massive crowd during the Fan Walk pit-stop demonstration and then stood with the team on the pit lane for the National Anthem and fly-over. Additionally, we took our guests around to the best vantage points to watch the race. To culminate this incredible experience, Colton and his family were able to visit Victory Circle when the No. 79 came home in 2nd place. Watch for more information shortly on this effort or you can donate here.
Quotes:
John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“It’s gratifying that we are competitive and very close to the kind of finishes we strive for. The competitive bar in GTP goes up every weekend. We have worked hard on our overall pace and are right there with our GTP competitors. From the front to the back of the GTP field, it is very tight, so now we need to focus on the many little things that gain you positions in the race results. We finished in P6 today but are only a couple of tenths here and there from the podium.
Overall, it was a great weekend for all three of JDC-Miller MotorSports teams. Good results but also it is so gratifying to see the level of fan support we have. A very fun weekend.”
Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“I am happy with the P6 finish. Made a couple of minor mistakes, but we were competitive. There are some things to work on for the next couple of races. We know what we need to improve to fight for the podium every time.”
Richard Westbrook, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“6th is a decent result. We have struggled to get results this year. Not for lack of pace, we just haven’t been able to capture the result we are looking for. We had a good car. It was a bit tricky on restarts to get the tires up to temperature, which is something we can work on.
We had so much support this weekend from all the guests, supporters, and sponsors. You do feel that in the car. It’s our home race, and it’s great to see this kind of support. I’m looking forward to the next two races. We have a good car and are confident in how we engineer it. I’m really proud of everyone at JDC-Miller MotorSports.”
Returning to a race team’s home track is a bit like putting on a pair of old shoes. Familiar and comfortable, and we are surrounded by fans, family, and our partners. The entire JDC-Miller MotorSports team very much looks forward to the Road America round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Challenge each year.
The team is optimistic in their effort to improve on last season’s strong 5th-place finish with their Porsche 963 GTP. Tijmen van der Helm returns to Road America looking to improve on this finish in his only previous start at the track. Richard Westbrook’s experience at Road America is long and storied. It was the site of his first victory in the US, winning the GT2 class in a Porsche 997 RSR in 2008. Westbrook also won twice in the Ford GT LM as recently as 2019. He delivered an impressive performance in the JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi in 2022, leading 25 laps in wet conditions on the 4-mile circuit, nearly lapping the entire field.
JDC-Miller MotorSports will be running three teams this weekend. In addition to the No. 85 GTP Porsche and the championship-leading No. 17 Audi RS3 LMP in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series TCR Class, they will be adding the No. 79 LMP2 entry for Gerry Kraut and Scott Andrews.
The team is also excited to be hosting a very special guest and his family. 10-year-old St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patient Colton will be at Road America for the race. Colton is very excited to attend his first professional race. His visit will kick off a two-month-long effort where you can join the JDC-Miller MotorSports team in helping fund St. Jude in its mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® You can help here.
The Sunday, August 4th race will be carried on Peacock starting at 3 PM Eastern and rebroadcast at 6 PM Eastern on CNBC. JDC-Miller MotorSports wishes all the athletes in Paris the best of luck at the 2026 Summer Olympics.
Quotes:
John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“As a team, it is gratifying to see the support we get when we come to Road America. It is always a fun weekend for us. A very busy weekend.
We continue to jell as a team and understand what makes our Porsche 963 and our drivers more competitive. We plan to build on the pace we showed at Watkins Glen and have a good result.”
Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“I am feeling very positive going into Road America. We had very good pace in the last race at Watkins Glen and this track is similar in many ways. We ran well here last year with the Porsche 963. It is very promising that we are getting stronger each weekend and a podium is not far around the corner.”
Richard Westbrook, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“Like most drivers, I love coming to Road America. It is a beautiful track that has a bit of everything. I’ve had some success there in the past and hope to continue it this weekend. This will be my first visit since it was resurfaced prior to last year, so I am really looking forward to giving it a proper go.”
After an outstanding qualifying session, JDC-Miller MotorSports driver Phil Hanson started the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen on the second row in P4. It was very hot and humid at the fabled central New York race track with a very high certainty of rain coming during the event.
Hanson took advantage of a dry track and made some amazing passes sweeping into the the lead on lap 7. He led until lap 20 when the team, anticipating weather and the need for options regarding drive time, took advantage of a yellow to bring him in and change to driver Tijmen van der Helm. Van der Helm kept the car in contention in very mixed weather conditions for the next two hours and handed it off to Richard Westbrook.
Things then unraveled for the JDC-Miller MotorSports team. Westbrook left his pit on fresh rain tires and was making the needed adjustments for the rain tires on his steering wheel, as well as jockeying for position with the 10 and 40 Acuras. With all that going on, he clipped one of the Michelin RFID stanchions at the single-lane pit exit. For this, the 85 was accessed a very harsh stop + 5 minute penalty. Three laps were lost, and any podium aspirations vanished. The team soldiered on to finish the race 9th in GTP and 17th overall.
Quotes:
John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“We unloaded with the most competitive car since Sebring of this year. The team took everything we learned at a test a few weeks ago and gave the drivers a very strong car. Phil was awesome in qualifying and then made some great passes to lead the race. It was great to see the car at the front of the field.
It is unfortunate that there was an issue with the RFID gate. Things get crazy going into that gate as there isn’t much distance from the last pit boxes to the gate for everyone to get sorted single-file. The penalty was quite harsh.”
Richard Westbrook, Driver, No.85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“I’m incredibly disappointed. After we switched to wet tires, I had to adjust the steering wheel on the way out. That’s when I made the mistake and nudged Michelin’s tire RFID system. I had expected to get a drive-through penalty, but the five-minute penalty was a killer for us. There was nothing we could do. I feel so sorry for the team, especially since our car was so strong this weekend. It’s a super bitter pill to swallow.”
Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh, Porsche Ag
“Our customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports put in an extremely strong drive today. Unfortunately, they received a major penalty. Still, congratulations to the team on its first-class work.”
Another feel-good story that didn’t quite have a feel-good ending was that of JDC-Miller MotorSports’ weekend. Saturday went just about as well as could be hoped for the independent, Minnesota-based team. Round 5 of the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season saw Mikey Taylor and Chris Miller capture the Touring Car (TCR) class win in the No. 17 Unitronic-sponsored Audi RS3 LMS TCR – their fourth of the season. Shortly thereafter, Phil Hanson put the team’s No. 85 Porsche 963 GTP on the second row of the grid for the Sahlen’s Six Hours, outpacing the factory-backed Porsche Penske Motorsport 963s in the bargain.
If anything, Sunday’s race began on an even brighter note. Hanson picked his way through the top qualifiers to grab the lead overall by Lap 7. Along with co-drivers Tijmen van de Helm and Richard Westbrook, the team subsequently kept the bright yellow Porsche among the leaders for most of the race, stirring thoughts of a rare Michelin Pilot Challenge/WeatherTech Championship double (for a team that took the overall win in the 2018 Sahlen’s Six Hours).
However, the team’s chances were dashed when Westbrook smacked one of Michelin’s RFID (radio frequency ID) stanchions while jockeying for position exiting pit lane with the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06. The resulting penalty (stop plus five-minute hold in the pit lane penalty box) put paid to any hope of a win for the giant killers. In the final reckoning, the No. 85 Porsche was classified ninth in the GTP class.
By John Oreovicz and David Phillips IMSA Wire Service
Mikey Taylor enjoyed a bird’s eye view of the tussle for the lead of the Touring Car (TCR) class between Robert Wickens’ No. 33 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR and Jon Morley’s No. 61 Road Shagger Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR in the closing stages of Saturday’s race. But Taylor was positively delighted by the view in the rearview mirror of the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi the following lap, having taken the lead with a clean pass into the Inner Loop at Watkins Glen after Wickens firmly rebuffed Morley’s bold overtaking effort at the same point the previous lap.
“That was a tough move,” Taylor said of Morley’s unsuccessful passing attempt. “But as competitive as TCR is these days, when you have a sniff at an overtake you’ve got to go for it. I thought they were both going to go around and retire, but the Hyundai is pretty robust. That’s TCR for you: it’s tight, close and fun racing.”
Once out front, Taylor gradually edged away from Wickens to take the TCR win by 2.054 seconds, even as the race ended in disappointment for Morley when the Road Shagger Audi ran short of fuel two corners from the finish line. Morley’s misfortune enabled Denis Dupont to grab the final spot in the No. 76 BHA Hyundai he shared with Preston Brown.
“We used what we had,” said Taylor. “We didn’t have much front end (tires) left and we didn’t have much fuel left. But (co-driver) Chris (Miller) did a great first stint to bring it to me, and the guys on the (pit) box – I can’t say enough – they did a great job on the strategy. At the end, it wasn’t about raw pace, it was about consistency and that’s what the Unitronic/JDC-Miller Audi is: It’s consistent.”
Taylor and Miller are becoming quite accustomed to seeing the TCR field in their mirrors. This was their fourth win in five Michelin Pilot Challenge races so far this year and represents a rebound from the race at Mid-Ohio two weeks ago that saw the No. 17 Audi finish third.
“They’re all difficult,” Miller said, “and this is just one step closer to our goal. I’m just super proud of the team. The guys have been doing an amazing job and, honestly, it’s due to them that we’re on this run. Mikey and I are just trying to bring the car home in one piece. They’re calling great strategy, doing great pit stops and we’re picking ‘em up and putting them down.”
The result boosted the No. 17 Unitronic/JDC-Motorsports Audi to a commanding 220-point lead over the No. 76 BHA Hyundai as the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competitors head north to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in three weeks.
As the summer temperatures heat up, so too does the IMSA racing schedule and kicking off the busy summer season was the Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team’s second 4-hour race of the season at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Four Hours of Mid-Ohio.
Coming into the race on a three race winning streak, the team knew it would be tough to keep the chasing pack behind as every competitor gunned to take down the #17 that had been on top for most of the start of the season. The Lexington, Ohio based track is also one of the toughest on the calendar for the Audi RS3 LMS TCR platform as it suited the hatchback car configuration of the Honda Civic FL5 TCR and Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR more than the sedan platform of the road car based Audi platform.
HEATED COMPETITION
Starting off the weekend strong, drivers Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor topped the charts in practice 1 and a solid 5th place in practice 2 in the tight TCR field. Qualifying brought more of a challenge, as the Honda Civic FL5 TCR team of MMG stretched their legs and showed what their well-favored balance of performance could do with a chart topping time of 1.27.103, leading to driver Chris Miller in 4th place with a 1.27.804.
TEAM FIGHTS THROUGH EARLY CONTACT
As the green flag flew the battle started for the #17 team as the rowdy TCR class battled back and forth making contact with the Audi several times and forcing Chris Miller as low as 8th at one point. Nevertheless, the team charged on throughout numerous issues with the handling and gearbox shifting of the now damaged race car. Around the halfway mark of the 4-hour challenge, the team made their mandatory driver change and put Mikey Taylor into the seat to give him a shot at battling until the end. Through a sequence of fast laps, pit stops and clever strategy by John Church, the #17 was to cycle through to 4th place near the final hour of the race, just behind the two factory backed Hyundai Elantra N TCR of Bryan Herta Autosport and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR of KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering.
UNITRONIC JDC-AUDI HANGS ON FOR P3 FINISH
As the field took the green flag from one of the final few full course caution periods with just over an hour to go, Taylor made a decisive move inside the #33 Hyundai to take a podium position and start the charge towards the front. Unfortunately for him, the damage from earlier in the race to the aerodynamics and gearbox of the car held him back and did not allow the South African born driver to unleash the pace of the Unitronic Audi. Ending the three-race winning streak the team had to settle for a admirable 3rd place finish, only 6 seconds off the winning Hyundai #76 and second place #5 Alfa Romeo. A solid result and points haul for the team means they retain their championship lead by 170 points over the chasing #76 Hyundai.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER FROM ECS TUNING
Throughout the week, the Unitronic JDC-Miller Motorsports team partnered up with ECS TUNING for several activities at their facility and on the track. We’d like to thank them again for their time and enthusiasm around our brand and race program. As a reminder, FREE limited edition posters are still available on ECSTUNING.COM while supplies last. These unique posters not only commemorate our special partnership at Mid-Ohio but they have also been autographed by our pro drivers; Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor.
NEXT RACE
The next round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Championship takes place next week at the world famous Watkins Glen International Raceway on June 20th – 23rd. Stay up to date on all our activities, learn more about the team, our pro drivers, the #17 RS 3 LMS TCR race car, our tremendous sponsors and shop for team merch HERE. Make sure to tune into UNITRONIC social media channels for behind the scenes race coverage of all ten championship events!
The JDC-Miller MotorSports team arrived at the Detroit Grand Prix feeling confident after a very productive test at Watkins Glen. While the two circuits could not be more different, the team was confident that what was learned at the test would make the JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 competitive. Unfortunately, what was learned at the test didn’t work on the narrow, bumpy, Detroit 1.654-mile street circuit. With only two practice sessions before qualifying, it proved difficult to make up time on the very competitive GTP field.
The late Friday afternoon qualifying session put the 85 Porsche 9th on the grid for Saturday’s 100 minute race.
Tijmen van der Helm drove the first stint moving the car into 8th. He worked his way up as high as 5th before coming in for fuel and the required driver change. The crew had an outstanding pit stop and driver change to Richard Westbrook who settled in running in 8th. A competitor’s unfortunate move in turn 1 spun the 85, blocking the track. Westbrook was able to continue but had considerable damage to the rear of the car and pitted for repairs. This resulted in the 85 falling a lap down and ultimately having to settle for an 8th place finish.
Quotes:
John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“The Detroit street circuit proved to be another challenging race for us. We left a bit banged and bruised, but with our heads held high as we headed to Watkins Glen for the 6-hour race.”
Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“I am pleased with my driving this weekend. This was a very difficult track to get up to speed on and only my second street race. Richard and the team have been excellent in helping me get up to speed. I was able to take my experience from Long Beach and build on it here. I can’t say at this point I am a fan of this kind of racing, but it has been rewarding to learn what it takes. Not sure this track lends itself well to GTP cars. Probably every car had some damage.”
Richard Westbrook, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“It’s hard for me to come up with anything positive. To be honest, the track is not suitable for racing with prototypes in the top GTP class. It was like being in a bumper car. The damage to the vehicles worsened lap by lap. It was unacceptable – simply unacceptable. I found it frustrating. I have such fond memories of the times we competed on the beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit. I’m looking forward to Watkins Glen – now that’s a great circuit.”
