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JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 GTP program ready for Rolex 24 at Daytona and 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season

Katie Church on January 13, 2024

January 13, 2024

JDC-Miller MotorSports had a very productive off-season and is highly confident regarding its prospects for the Rolex 24 and the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season. The team has put together a very solid driver line-up for not only the Rolex 24 but the entire IMSA WeatherTech Championship season. A recent Daytona test confirmed the team’s confidence in its position going into the upcoming season.

All the team’s 2023 partners and sponsors are back on-board for 2024. This includes
Porsche Motorsport NA and its affiliates as well as Trofipack, S3S Saltworks, Wiha
Tools, OMP, and Justice Brothers.

The driver line-up brings considerable Rolex 24 experience. Richard Westbrook returns
to Daytona where he made his first start in 2007, also in a Porsche. He has competed in
the race 16 times. Ben Keating has competed in 14 consecutive Rolex 24 hour classics
and for the 8th time in two different cars. He will again this year be participating in two
classes, GTP and LMP2. Both Phil Hanson and Tijmen van der Helm have previously
competed in the Rolex, Hanson in 2018 and van der Helm in 2023.

The JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche 963 GTP will wear car number 85. 85 is the
number it ran for several successful years, including a Rolex 24 class win in 2016.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, JDC-Miller MotorSports

“What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time so much was unknown. We
knew all the GTP teams would have a steep learning curve with the new hybrid
platform. Our challenge a year ago was that we didn’t know when we would start down
that road and so many decisions and activities could not be kicked off until the car was
in our hands. Once the car arrived for the 5th round of the season at Laguna, everyone
involved did tremendous work to catch up with the other teams as well as learn as much
as possible about the new cars, especially the Porsche 963. A huge thank you to our
people as well as Porsche Motorsports and its partners on both sides of the Atlantic for
their stellar effort.

Almost everyone involved with the team in 2023 has returned for 2024. Tijmen van der
Helm is returning from last year and is getting faster with each race. We are incredibly
happy to have Richard Westbrook and Ben Keating returning from our 2022 DPi effort.
Ben will be doing double-duty in both prototype classes. For such a young man, Phil
Hanson has a tremendous amount of experience in WEC including a Le Mans class win
and an LMP2 championship. We are starting the new season with a great knowledge
and experience base which these days is critically important. This will allow us to make
another step forward as a team. “

Tijmen van der Helm, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I’m really looking forward to the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season. In
2023 everything was new to me. The team, the cars, the series, and especially all of the
tracks. For the coming year I can build on all that I learned last year and concentrate on
going faster and winning races.

The team now has experience with the Porsche 963 GTP and I am confident that
together we can turn that into results.”

Richard Westbrook, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“Can’t wait to kick the 2024 season off and I’m so happy to be back with JDC-Miller
MotorSports and racing in IMSA again. It was nice to get a feel for the 963 in December
and the car felt really balanced. It was also really nice to work with Tijmen and Phil and,
of course, Ben again where we shared the DPi in 2022 and ended with a fantastic
podium. It’s going to be a long hard season but nothing better than kicking it off with a
strong result at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.”

Phil Hanson, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I’m excited to kickstart my year at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The race never disappoints,
and competing for the overall win only adds to the spectacle. It will be my first race
weekend with JDC-Miller MotorSports. In the past few years, the team has a history of
strong races at Daytona so I’m keen to see what we can bring to the fight.”

Ben Keating, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I am thrilled to return to JDC-Miller MotorSports for the Rolex 24. The experience of
getting an overall podium with the team in 2022 was incredible. I think it went well
enough that both the team and I were eager to do it again. The Porsche 963 GTP is a
lot of car to figure out. Part of the thrill is that it is a very different experience from just
hopping in a GT car and driving fast. I am honored that the team is allowing me to be
the only Bronze-rated driver to ever compete in an LMDh/Hyper car. I think my LMP2
championships have earned me the right to be here, but it still is a big step and a big
responsibility. I am excited and nervous, which is very close to the same emotion! The
anticipation is incredible.”

JDC-Miller MotorSports renews partnership with Wiha Tools for 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season

Katie Church on January 10, 2024

January 10, 2024

JDC-Miller MotorSports is pleased to announce that it has renewed its partnership with Wiha Tools for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season. Wiha has considerable expertise in tools for high voltage applications such as the Porsche 963 GTP’s hybrid system.  This expertise makes Wiha a perfect fit for JDC-Miller MotorSports 2024  WeatherTech Sportscar Championship GTP class campaign with the Porsche 963.

The collaboration between JDC-Miller MotorSports and Wiha Tools began prior to delivery of the team’s Porsche 963 in early 2023 as the team recognized the challenges of working with high voltage applications. Wiha not only provided the team with a complete line of insulated tools, they also provided expertise to the team. The outcome of this collaboration is the team mechanics work safely and more efficiently.  

Founded in 1939 by Willi Hahn in Schonach, Germany, Wiha Tools, is recognized for producing high-quality, durable, hand tools trusted by professionals worldwide. The company has over 3,500 products and a global workforce of more than1,400 people. JDC-Miller MotorSports is excited about its continued partnership with Wiha Tools and the prospects to expand Wiha’s presence in the dynamic world of motorsports.  

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, JDC-Miller MotorSports

“Wiha Tools is a great partner to JDC-Miller Motorsports. What is a more fundamental need in professional motorsports than great hand tools? Our partnership with Wiha started strong and just keeps getting stronger. They have a great product and are great to work with.”

Wade Krinke, VP of Marketing and Product Development, Wiha Tools

 “Last year was an incredible opportunity for us to break into the endurance racing scene with JDC-Miller Motorsports, and we’re thrilled to be back for 2024. Our product provides the team with the peace of mind and capability to get the job done.  We’re confident Wiha tools will ensure speed and success come race day.”  

Josh Kerrigan, Lead Mechanic, JDC-Miller MotorSports

“Initially it was Wiha’s line of insulated tools that got my attention. Wiha Tools met an immediate need we had for working on the high-voltage hybrid system we are using in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. We have been using Wiha’s complete hand tool line for more than a year and really enjoy the safety, comfort, and capabilities, of our Wiha tools.  We all use them every day.”

Race Recap – ROAR and the Rolex 24 at Daytona

Roger Johnson on February 22, 2023

It was a very busy 2 week stretch for the JDC-Miller MotorSports team. JDC entered three teams, each with their own transporter, running in three different series at Daytona. They were scattered around the paddock as each team is required to paddock with their respective series.  In addition to the Duqueine D08 LMP3 entry in the WeatherTech series, the team campaigned another Duqueine D08 LMP3 in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge for veteran prototype driver Dan Goldburg. The team also returned to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series in the TCR class with a new Audi RS3 LMS touring car for Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor.  

JDC has extensive experience with the Duqueine D08 so much of the Roar weekend was focused on getting the four new drivers acclimated to the car and the racing in this series. Luca Mars qualified the car 6th in class less than .7 seconds behind the fastest car in the class and 25th in the 61 car field. 

The highlight of the ROAR weekend was Dan Goldburg’s victory in the inaugural VP Racing SportsCar Challenge race. Dan qualified on the outside pole, took the lead on the first lap, and carried it home for the victory in the 45-minute sprint race.  He followed that up by winning Sunday’s race as well. 

The TCR team chased new car teething issues for much of the event but showed very good speed. Chris Miller qualified 3rd just .1 off the TCR pole.  In the 4-hour race, the car started strong and ran close to the front. Late in the race, the car developed a high-speed misfire. Mikey Taylor and the team masterfully managed to nurse it to the finish and secured a 5th place finishing position in class.  A good points start to the 2023 campaign. 

In the Rolex 24, the team was running in the top 25 overall for the first 160 laps until a touch with the wall broke the right-rear suspension. The car went to the garage for repairs which were performed in less than 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the car went down 20 laps and into 56th position overall. The rest of the race was spent fighting back to 37th overall and 5th in class. They completed 715 laps of the 3.6 mile circuit. 

On to Sebring for the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 18th, a race the team won in 2021.  

Be sure to check out the photos from Daytona here.

VP Racing SportsCar Challenge Race 2 Has Familiar Ending

Katie Church on January 22, 2023

JANUARY 22, 2023

Goldburg and Griffin Complete Weekend Sweeps in the New Sprint Series for LMP3 and GT4 Cars

By Mark Robinson for IMSA.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – They took different paths, but Dan Goldburg and Billy Griffin completed weekend victory sweeps Sunday in the debut of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Goldburg cruised to a dominant win in the Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) class while Griffin battled from behind to triumph in the GSX class for GT4-spec cars.

Both drivers started from their respective pole positions in the 45-minute race. Goldburg, in the No. 73 JDC MotorSports Duqueine D08, was hounded by Bijoy Garg in the No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320 until Garg spun in the Le Mans Chicane while working through lapped traffic with 15 minutes remaining. Relieved of that pressure, Goldburg went on to win by 9.739 seconds over Brian Thienes in the No. 77 US RaceTronics Ligier.

As he did in Saturday’s first race, Griffin took a patient approach and relinquished the GSX lead on the opening lap to avoid potential confrontations. Dropping to third place in the No. 14 KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4, Griffin bided his time before overtaking Sebastian Carazo (No. 27 Kellymoss with Riley Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport) for the lead on the tri-oval section of Daytona International Speedway with seven minutes to go. Griffin pulled away to win by 3.735 seconds over Carazo.

Goldburg credited his LMP3 experience – three previous years overall, including 10 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races in the past two seasons – with his success negotiating slower traffic that led to the two VP Racing Challenge wins.

“I think the key was running WeatherTech last year and learning how to manage GT traffic,” said the 44-year-old from Delray Beach, Florida. “That came in really handy today.

“I like having the traffic to work with. I had good success last year in WeatherTech with it, so I like it. There’s definitely a big enough gap between the speeds of the (LMP3 and GSX) cars that’s manageable and can be used well. It’s good.”

It was that traffic and over-aggressive driving in his class that Griffin was on the lookout for in his bid to repeat as the GSX winner, and it wound up costing a pair of contenders. He and Carazo were locked in an intense four-car battle with Moisey Uretsky (No. 44 Accelerating Performance Aston Martin Vantage GT4) and Patrick Wilmot (No. 88 Split Decision Motorsports BMW M4 GT4) when Uretsky and Wilmot tangled in Turn 3 of the infield section with 14 minutes remaining.

Wilmot’s BMW sustained significant damage and retired. Uretsky was assessed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility and taken out of contention, leaving Griffin and Carazo to battle it out for the win.

“I lost the lead (on Lap 1) again because of aggressiveness and the way they were crowding in there but was able to regroup,” Griffin said. “I knew that the patience thing was going to pay off for me in the long run. I really just took my time and let the battle happen.”

Griffin got a run on Carazo through Turns 3 and 4 of the Daytona oval and made the decisive pass as they crossed the start-finish line.

“I made the move, it worked … and I was able to check away,” the Venice, Florida, resident and IMSA newcomer added. “It’s an amazing feeling; thrilled to death. Definitely a lifelong dream come true.”

Telecasts of the VP Racing Challenge races at Daytona air on CNBC at 11:30 a.m. (Race 1) and 12:30 p.m. ET (Race 2) Saturday, Jan. 28. The series returns to action March 11-12 at Sebring International Raceway.