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.
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.
The No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 GTP dropped out 160 laps into the finale of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season with a power steering issue. Driver Richard Westbrook safely brought the car back to the garage with limited steering capability, ending the team’s very strong weekend in front of a record crowd that packed Road Atlanta for the 10-hour-long Petit Le Mans.
The JDC-Miller MotorSports team was pleased with its performance up to that point. Phil Hanson led the qualifying leaderboard for more than half of qualifying and started the car in the third row of the grid. Throughout the first 159 laps of the race, the team executed its strategy, running between 3rd and 6th much of the time while conserving tires and working toward the sprint to the finish when darkness fell. The car was quite competitive with the rest of the GTP field until the failure and a bittersweet ending for the team’s 2024 season.
It was also a melancholy weekend for the team as it was the final race for driver Richard Westbrook, who is retiring after a racing career that spans some 30 years, including two stints with JDC-Miller MotorSports. The Brit started in open-wheel racing but found his stride in sportscars. He has been a part of factory teams with Porsche, Chevrolet, Ford, BMW, and Aston Martin. JDC-Miller MotorSports is proud to have played a small part in his incredible career and to be there to allow him to retire from the top class in sportscar racing. Richard will always be a beloved part of the JDC-Miller MotorSports family, and we wish him all the best as he focuses on his other passion, Westbrooks Brewery.
John Church with Brad Knight and Charles Henderson from BDO
On Friday, the JDC-Miller MotorSports team was presented with not one, but two, BDO Knows Strategy Awards. The award recognizes the race team exhibiting excellence in strategy and execution during each WeatherTech Series weekend and is chosen by the IMSA radio broadcast team at the conclusion of each race. JDC-Miller MotorSports won the award for its runner-up finish in the LMP2 category at Road America and again in GTP with its 3rd place finish at Indianapolis. BDO tells us that this is the first time in the history of the award that a team has won twice in a single season, let alone consecutive races.
Quotes:
John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“A disappointing end to what had been a very good weekend. We were competitive on pace and were successfully working our race strategy when the steering let go. I feel bad for the drivers and the crew as we were doing really well until it was over.
This has been a difficult season as we have performed well and just couldn’t get the results we should have gotten. Dropping out with mechanical issues at Sebring and now Petit when running strong are just two examples of how things went this year. With that said, I am extremely proud of what we accomplished in 2024. We continue to become more and more competitive against all the factory teams in the GTP class with a sliver of the resources. I am very optimistic regarding our prospects for the 2025 season and anxious to put our heads down and get going on next year.”
Richard Westbrook, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“Unfortunately, we are out of Petit Le Mans. It’s a shame. In some ways, it summed up our season. We often showed so much promise, but couldn’t finish the job off. This is one of those failures that’s out of our hands. I was going through turn one and the power steering just went. The car was difficult to control, so I’m happy the car’s back in one piece. It’s a three-hour change, so we are out of the race. I would have loved to have finished on a high in the last race of my career. As importantly, getting a good result for everyone at JDC-Miller would have meant a lot to me. I am just gutted for everyone on the team. Everyone on this team should be proud of themselves. We’re up against the big dogs and there’s been several races where we have really punched above our weight and that is very satisfying.”
Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“Last race of the year. The season seemed to go by so fast. There were a lot of good moments and some not so good, but we got stronger as the year went on. We had a really good weekend. In qualifying we put the car in mid-field with good pace, so we were expecting a lot in the race. Then suddenly we lost the steering, which is a shame. Now we can only look forward to next year. My thanks to everyone on the team for their hard work all season long.”
Phil Hanson, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 “It is never nice to go out the race and end the year on this sort of note. Unfortunately, a power steering issue made us retire the car quite early on. Difficult to know how we would have gotten on later in the race. The car was set up with the night in mind, and we showed strong pace in NP3. That made us quietly confident that we were going to be stronger at the end of the race, which is when it matters in IMSA. It’s a shame we never got there to find out where we truly stood. I think its been a year of really good potential. We’ve shown on many occasions how we can be very strong and very quick. Unfortunately, we never got to convert those strong moments into a victory or a podium. When you look back at it, we have been quite consistently at the front, which is impressive against some of the big guys out there. I just want to thank the team for their hard work this year. My teammates also obviously did a really solid job all year, as well, so my thanks to Tijmen and Richard.”
The high note for the JDC-Miller MotorSports team this weekend was the No. 17 Audi RS3 LMS wrapping up the season drivers and team championships in the Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR-class. The Unitronic/JDC-Miller team, with drivers Chris Miller and Mikey Taylor, had an exceptional season. It began with consecutive wins to start the season at Daytona, Sebring, and Laguna Seca. They also won at Watkins Glen. These results do not represent all the challenges the No. 17 team faced throughout the season, making the championship that much sweeter. There was a lot of well-deserved tired jubilation at Friday evening’s awards banquet after a long, hard-fought, season.
Update: Due to a post-race technical infraction penalty to the No. 6, the No 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 was promoted to a 3rd place finish.
September 23, 2024
It was a rollercoaster race, culminating in their best season finish for the No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 GTP at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Battle On The Bricks.
The JDC-Miller MotorSports team battled through a number of issues, which made the strong finish especially sweet. Early in the hot and humid weekend, the team struggled to find the pace needed to compete in the extremely competitive IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship GTP field. They worked late into Saturday night and gave their drivers a much-improved car for the Sunday race. Tijmen van der Helm started the race in 11th and moved up to 5th on lap 18 in very difficult mixed weather conditions. Our rain expert, Richard Westbrook, took over as the rain increased and continued the strong push. His comment was, “I’m British. I was born in the rain.” Some great strategy calls were made in the dry second half of the race, and Phil Hanson did an outstanding job of fuel-saving for an extended last stint to bring the car home 4th.
September is Child Cancer Awareness Month. The team’s Porsche 963 carried close to 50 LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. stickers around the 2.439 mile speedway. Supporters made donations and then wrote a message on the decal which was affixed to the car for a 6 hour 200 mph ride. This effort has raised close to $35,000 with donations still coming in. Donate here.
JDC-Miller MotorSports hosted St. Jude patient Grayson, his brother Hudson, and mom Anne, on Saturday and they had a especially great time when the team’s Audi RS3 LMS had a TCR class podium finish in the Michelin Pilot Challenge race. They took the opportunity to give the bricks a kiss and went home with a Michelin hat from the podium celebration.
Quotes:
John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“Hats off the driver’s and the crew. This was a tough race. We were chasing things all weekend and everyone really stepped it up and were rewarded with our best finish of the year. We tested here last year and had a pretty good idea of what the car liked on this track. The hot and humid weather early in the weekend changed things but it came back to us on Sunday with the cooler weather. There was a tremendous amount of hard work put in this weekend so its gratifying to see a good result. Very much looking forward to a strong run at Motul Petit Le Mans.”
Richard Westbrook, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“A fantastic result, which I think everyone on the team can be proud of and thoroughly deserved. We came back from lots of issues in the race. It was really, really tough. I was out when it was really wet and, you know, it was enjoyable. Visibility was terrible. We were in the mix and then out of the mix and back in the mix, but had some really good strategy at the end get Phil back on the lead lap, which we did, and then we were in a really strong position on fuel. Really clever strategy by the team. The team really deserved a good result this weekend. It was a tough car in practice and qualifying, but everyone worked really hard so in the race we had a good car in the wet and the dry.”
Tijmen van der Helm, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“We had a quite difficult race weekend but very pleased with the result. We came from the back so we had some work to do. It worked out quite well. We had some small problems later on in the race, but we quickly got them sorted and could maximize the results. It is our best result of the year so there is a lot to be proud of. Really looking forward to Petit Le Mans and hopefully getting on the podium.
Phil Hanson, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963
“A good weekend for us. We started a bit on the back foot. Struggled early on in the weekend to get a grip on the car. The crew made a lot of changes to the set up trying to find the balance and made good steps forward for the race, which is good to see. A little bit of damage and other small issues meant that throughout the race we lost some set up. This made braking very difficult late in the race. I think that aside, we had a quite competitive car today which put us in position to capitalize on other teams’s issues and mistakes throughout the race. It was a good result for the package that we had this weekend.”
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.
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.”
