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JDC-Miller MotorSports Finishes the 74th Twelve Hours of Sebring in the 8th Position

Katie Church on March 24, 2026

SAVAGE, Minn. (March 23, 2026). The JDC-Miller Motorsports No. 5 Porsche GTP team started the 74th 12 Hours of Sebring with a strong 7th place qualifying position, just .569 seconds behind the pole winner, and were very confident heading into the twelve-hour race. The car was quite strong and the drivers did an outstanding job executing the race plan. They stayed on the lead lap and remained in contention for a podium position throughout the day. As evening fell, due to the cumulative effects of all the bumps and bruises the car had endured during the long day’s work, the No. 5 Porsche was unable to improve its pace against its rivals and finished in 8th position.

The team wraps up the 36 hours of Florida and is looking forward to the sprint-heavy portion of the season and heading west to Long Beach and Laguna Seca.

Quotes:

 

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“There were many positives this weekend. We had quite a scramble in the shop to implement the livery changes, which resulted in some long hours, but the fan reaction to this livery has made it all worthwhile. This driver lineup has come together nicely, making the weekend more enjoyable for everyone. We got off to a good start when Kaylen qualified strongly. The team had a solid plan for qualifying, executed it perfectly, and achieved the result.

In the race, we started strong, got a little banged up along the way, and ultimately didn’t have what was needed at the end. A pretty typical Sebring, I would say. The JDC-Miller MotorSports crew performed 14 flawless pit stops, the engineering team made great calls before and during the race, and overall, everyone executed extremely well. There’s a lot to be proud of here.”

Kaylen Frederick, Driver, No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“Overall, there are definitely some positives to take from the weekend. The team gave me a great car in qualifying, and it was a pleasure to get a good result. We made a lot of progress with the car throughout the weekend, but so did everyone else. We probably could have made some different choices with the setup that might have been better for the later part of the race. At the beginning, we looked fairly strong with good pace. We were running with the leaders. In the heat of the day, we were performing quite well, but as it cooled off, we lost that pace and couldn’t get it back. The car took a bit of a beating through no fault of our own—some pretty hard hits that likely affected the handling later in the race. There are many positives to take away, but looking forward for the improvements I’m confident the guys will have for the next one.”  

Tijmen Van der Helm, Driver, No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“We had a positive qualifying, so shout-out to my teammate Kaylen for giving us a good starting position. We made contact with rivals several times during the race, which is common at this event. We were a bit unlucky a few times with our tire strategy, and in the end, didn’t have enough pace to push hard. The car performed well during the race, the crew did a great job, and our driver lineup is really solid. On to Long Beach to see what we can accomplish.”

Nico Pino, Driver, No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“It was a tough race for us at the end; we had a good start and kept a strong pace all day. The car got quite beat up during the race, which definitely slowed us down toward the finish. The team did an excellent job. Every pit stop was perfect, and we always gained positions in the pits. I would have preferred a better result, but overall, I’m pretty happy. Now, we need to focus on fine-tuning all the small details that make a difference in a series as fiercely competitive as IMSA GTP.”

Solo climber: JDC-Miller out to prove independents can still thrive in top-level prototypes

Katie Church on March 24, 2026

By RJ O’Connell from Racer.com – Mar 20, 2026, 7:50 AM ET

JDC-Miller MotorSports began 2026 in a very interesting position within the world of prototype sports car racing’s top category, as the last true privateer left standing in IMSA GTP.

Entering its famous yellow “Banana Boat” No. 85 Porsche 963 with the young driver trio of Tijmen van der Helm, Nico Pino and Kaylen Frederick, JDC-Miller MotorSports finished seventh in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January, only one place lower than its previous efforts with the 963 in 2024 and 2025.

Besides JDC’s managing partner John Church, driving advisor Richard Westbrook is an integral member of the team’s management who boasts over two decades of experience racing at the highest levels. And the Englishman believes that Daytona could have gone even better, with some better fortune at crucial times.

“Honestly, the Roar (Before The 24) week was awesome. And then the practice sessions leading up to qualifying, the guys were super happy with the car,” Westbrook tells RACER. “We had a really strong first half of the race – we led for a good period of time. But we did lose some performance due to damage on the floor of the car, which created some additional drag.

“Daytona is always the toughest race for us,” he laments. “It really is hard on the equipment. It happened to us in the last couple of years. Going into the last hour, we didn’t quite have the package for the win, but honestly, I think a P4 or P5 would have been a fairer reflection of where our pace was, where we should have finished.”

While it may not have the latest joker updates, JDC-Miller’s Porsche punched above its weight at Daytona, defying the doom-and-gloomers. Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images

And this was without the 2026 package of Evo “joker” updates to the Porsche 963, which include changes to the diffuser, engine cover and splitter tuned towards aerodynamic efficiency. It also came with a driver line-up with an average age of 22, none of whom are works or factory-contracted drivers, or had previous factory racing experience.

Even as the last true privateer left standing in IMSA’s top class, though, Westbrook makes clear JDC-Miller MotorSports needs no one’s pity. Together with IMSA and Porsche, the team worked out a solution that would allow JDC-Miller to keep racing on this year with the 2025-spec 963 that it finished last season with, instead of purchasing the 2026 Evo package.

One would figure that this new provision in IMSA’s sporting regulations – allowing previous homologations on the current year’s grid – would be met warmly, keeping a tenured team on the grid instead of turning it away. Yet Westbrook was unpleasantly surprised when the general reaction to this news was bleak pessimism about the team’s future, and the future of top-class racing in IMSA and, by extension, the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“It’s ridiculous,” Westbrook says flatly. “It’s been well documented about the price of upgrading and stuff like that. But honestly, from my perspective, we really struggled last year. There was a major update (at the) beginning of ’25 and we couldn’t find the sweet spot of the car. By the end of the year, we got the car in a window which we felt was really strong. We ended the year in a good place.

“There was a question mark on the ’26 update, and whether that was right for us. Obviously GTP is… you know, everyone talks about it being the golden era of motorsport but we are down to one privateer worldwide now,” Westbrook notes, following Proton’s WEC departure, the closure of boutique Hypercar constructors like Glickenhaus and Isotta Fraschini, and the Asian Le Mans Series’ Hypercar class being a year away from arrival.

No jokers? No problem. Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images

While concerns about the cost to participate in high-level sports car racing are well founded, Westbrook’s view is more measured and less sensationalized.

“We’re not sitting here with our begging bowl asking for everyone to help us, but it is very different for a private team. We are at a disadvantage – and we need to play to our strengths,” he says.

“You could argue, you would only do an update if it’s going to go quicker. But we feel really confident with our package right now. We showed it in Daytona – all the drivers were all very comfortable with the car, the balance of the car. We’ve really got a hold on our package right now, and we need to continue developing that.

“So it’s a bit disappointing when you read all those negative comments, like, ‘This is the end of the formula,’ but it’s not. It’ll be the end of the formula if you lose cars on the grid. I’m not saying privateers are the be-all and end-all of this golden era but you do need them. They do serve a purpose and it is a worry that we’re the only ones in the world that are a private team – but we’re going to make the most of it.”

JDC-Miller got a boost in the form of a returning primary sponsor, Mustang Sampling. This brought with it its signature black and gold livery, and its customary No. 5 plate, to the team for the remainder of the 2026 season. It begins at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, a race that JDC-Miller, during its days as a Cadillac DPi customer team, won five years ago.

JDC-Miller has a long-term plan in place through 2027, which the team hopes to reveal in due course, and the long-rumored second JDC-Miller 963 entry is still in play if the right opportunity arises.

“The team has two cars, (we) have the capability of absolutely running those two cars on a race weekend. Right now, it’s not the focus,” Westbrook says of GTP expansion plans. “But if there was an opportunity to bring the second car out for, maybe, some long-distance races, we would definitely look at it. It’s definitely not something that we’ve closed the book on.

“I’d love to get that car out, because, as I know from 2023 (with Chip Ganassi Racing in WEC) when we were just the sole Cadillac, it’s always better having two cars than one, because you’ve got double the data, and data is everything.”

Moving forward with what JDC-Miller MotorSports has right now, however – which is its one black and gold No. 5 Porsche 963, in 2025-spec with the youngest driver line-up in IMSA GTP – Westbrook has lofty ambitions despite the low points that the team went through for a lot of last season.

“I think consistent top-five finishes and to be sneaking in for a podium, that’s realistic,” Westbrook reckons. “With IMSA racing, if you’re in the right spot at the right time, you can turn those podiums, top fives, into wins. And that’s where we need to be. The drivers are all hungry. None of them are like, ‘We’re in a private car, so we’ve got no chance of winning.’ There’s none of that attitude and I wouldn’t allow that in our team.

“We may be a privateer, but we’re punching above our weight. The goal, and what we are going to do, is take the fight to the factory teams. It’s as simple as that. Because if we’re not going to do that, there’s no point of being there – and trust me, coming in P9 and P10 for the first half of last year was absolutely painful, I would say even more painful than when I was driving myself. None of us want to be there.

“We’re looking forward now: We’ve shown we had pace in the daytime; unfortunately, we were not able to do it for 24 hours. But we’ve got three young, hungry drivers that work their socks off, that want to fight at the front. And we’re going to give them that.”

JDC-Miller MotorSports Returns Historic Livery to the 74th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Katie Church on March 12, 2026

SAVAGE, Minn. (March 12, 2026). JDC-Miller MotorSports is pleased to announce that its Porsche 963 will showcase a new version of its 2021 12 Hours of Sebring winning livery at the 74th running of the iconic race and for the remainder of the season. The Porsche will run the number 5 as did the DPi class Cadillac in 2021. 

Since the car is now a GTP class Porsche 963 hybrid, world-renowned graphic designer Andy Blackmore was engaged to create a new look that pays tribute to the team’s 2021 car but with a fresh style.

The youthful, but experienced, driver line-up will remain the same as Daytona, Tijmen van der Helm, Nico Pino, and Kaylen Frederick.

The 2021 12 Hours of Sebring marks a special time for the race and the IMSA WeatherTech Championship series. The series had adapted to COVID-19 restrictions and was racing again, on its traditional date, in front of its loyal fans. Five years later, we celebrate everyone who worked hard to bring us back to racing and the fans who came to enjoy this incredible event.

It will be a very busy 12 Hours of Sebring for the JDC-Miller MotorSports team as they will also be running the number 79 Oreca 07 Gibson in the LMP2 class.  The team’s regular driver Gerry Kraut, will be joined by Australian Josh Burdon, and British driver Sennan Fielding.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

The 12 Hours of Sebring is always a special race for JDC-Miller MotorSports. The challenges inherent to “the 12 Hours” have always seemed to suit our team very well. We tend to thrive on adversity, and at Sebring, there is always hardship. 

Our win in 2021 taught us a valuable lesson in perseverance, as the team overcame a variety of difficulties, from the pandemic to car contact. We were hit so many times during that race that we ran out of spares in our pit box. Due to our completely different sequence, no one expected us to be in the lead late in the race. The battered and bruised car brought out the best in the crew and drivers, and we kept pushing until we secured the win. Looking back at that achievement 5 years later—racing during a COVID-19 environment, overcoming numerous challenges on the track, and crossing the finish line first—is something to celebrate.

Reuniting with Mustang Sampling and Ken and Brenda Thompson is truly special and doing it 5 years after that special win in 2021 is very exciting. We are really looking forward to the renewed relationship. Sebring will be a great start.”

Ken Thompson, CEO,  Mustang Sampling

“Brenda and I are thrilled to be back with JDC-Miller MotorSports. This renewed partnership feels like a full-circle moment as it coincides with the five-year anniversary of our win at the 12 Hours of Sebring. It’s a serendipitous reunion with the team, and we are grateful for the family atmosphere that runs throughout the organization—from the Church and Miller families, to the pit crew and drivers. The 2021 season was incredibly meaningful to us, which made returning five years later an easy decision. We look forward to bringing Mustang Sampling back to JDC-Miller MotorSports and competing together in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.”

Photo: Winning team of the 2021 12 Hours of Sebring

About Mustang Sampling

Mustang Sampling, LLC is the innovator of Analytically Accurate® solutions within sample conditioning systems. We provide custom solutions of products and services globally to the Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL), Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industries, including Hydrogen Blending and Carbon Sequestration. Mustang Sampling continues to pioneer integrated control systems, allowing our customers to maintain phase stability from sample extraction at the source through sample analysis. Our products are continuously improved and subjected to the highest quality standards, which provide our customers with the best sample conditioning solutions.

Contact info:              MustangSampling.com info@MustangSampling.com

About JDC-Miller MotorSports

JDC-Miller MotorSports is a world-class multi-series sports car racing team based in Savage, Minnesota. Since its inception, the team has captured numerous championships and high-profile victories, including the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Twelve Hours of Sebring. They are currently the only non-manufacturer team racing in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. JDC-Miller MotorSports also fields the no. 17 Porsche 718 GT4RS Clubsport in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series GS Class. They are the 2024 TCR-class champions.

JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 Finish 7th in the 2026 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona

Katie Church on January 27, 2026

SAVAGE, Minn. (January 26, 2026). The JDC-Miller Motorsports No.85 Porsche 963 finished the 64th Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in the seventh position of the 60-car field. The 85 was very competitive throughout both weekends of the event, usually very close to the top of the time charts. The trio of youthful drivers led the race on three occasions for a total of 46 laps. They consistently ran lap times right with the leaders for the entire race. Damage from debris to the floor of the car limited their ability to execute the planned late race charge and they finished in seventh on the lead lap. After 24 hours of racing, in which they completed 705 laps or 2507 miles,  the JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche was just 70 seconds behind the winners. 

This year’s running of “The Rolex” will long be remembered for two things, a massive fan turnout, and the six and a half hour safety car period due to heavy fog, a Rolex 24 record. The yellow came out at 12:45AM and the field went green again at 7:18AM. The 85 completed 119 laps or 421 miles under the extended caution period. The Daytona International Speedway reported a record crowd, as well.

Quotes:

Nico Pino, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“For us, it was a pretty straightforward race. We maintained a good pace throughout most of the race and didn’t encounter any incidents or mistakes. We did suffer some damage near the end, which prevented us from improving further. The crew did a great job with quick pit stops and no errors. I enjoyed my first race with JDC-Miller MotorSports and am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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

“We went with three drivers this year. Things were a bit more challenging mentally and physically, but I think I prefer it. It was easier to get on the same page on strategy and setup, which led to us having a really good setup to start the race.

We were very competitive for most of the 24 hours, but we got a bit unlucky in the race when we hit something with the floor of the car, which cost us some pace at the end. I am quite happy with that finish since we were in the hunt for a top position throughout.

I’m now looking forward to Sebring. It’s a completely different track, but we have a strong lineup of both drivers and team members in the pits.”

Kaylen Frederick, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“Lots of exciting firsts for me: my first IMSA race, first Daytona, first time racing with co-drivers, and competing with other classes of cars. Overall, it was a remarkable experience, and for most of the race, we had a very strong car. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace at the end to move up a few more spots. The JDC-Miller MotorSports team did a fantastic job; I don’t think they could have prepared much better. The team, along with Tijmen and Nico, got me comfortable in the 963 quite quickly. A lot to learn. They and Richard Westbrook were incredibly helpful, and it showed on the track.”

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“This was a Rolex 24 that I really enjoyed. The entire team really came together nicely and that led to good pace right from the first session. All three drivers jelled right away and collaborated to make the car very good throughout the event. The technical guys did great work both in the off-season and at the track and it really showed in how we made changes to the car and were strong both at the Roar and in the race. We were strong at the November test and that has carried right through until now. 

My sincere thanks to all the people who helped in getting us here.”

JDC-Miller MotorSports Announces Dynamic Young Lineup for the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona

Katie Church on January 8, 2026

SAVAGE, MN (January 8, 2026) – JDC-Miller MotorSports is proud to announce its driver lineup for the 64th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The team’s No. 85 Porsche 963 will be piloted by a high-octane trio of rising, young, but experienced stars: Tijmen van der Helm, Nico Pino, and Kaylen Frederick.

Tijmen van der Helm (Netherlands) returns to the team for his fourth straight season in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship GTP class. As a key part of the JDC-Miller program, van der Helm brings valuable experience with the Porsche 963 platform. The 21-year-old has 23 starts in the JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963. This is his fourth Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with the team, ith best finishes of 6th in both 2024 and 2025.

“I am excited to continue my journey with JDC-Miller MotorSports,” said van der Helm. We’ve made massive strides in understanding this car over the past three years, and starting the 2026 season with such a talented team around us gives us a real chance at the podium.”

Joining van der Helm is Nico Pino, from Santiago, Chile, who joins JDC-Miller MotorSports after an impressive tenure in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Now 20 years old, Pino moved from carts to open-wheel cars at age 13. In 2021, he became the youngest driver ever to compete in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at just 16. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023, he earned a notable third-place finish in the highly competitive LMP2 class. In 2025, he drove a Porsche 963 eleven times in both IMSA and WEC. Pino also made headlines driving the JDC-Miller MotorSports 963 during the IMSA November 2025 tests at Daytona, setting the fastest time overall in the fourth session and finishing second overall for the test. This will be his 5th Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“Joining a team with the history and passion of JDC-Miller MotorSports is a major milestone,” Pino noted. “It’s incredible to be back in the 963 for 2026, especially with a team like JDC-Miller MotorSports. I’m ready to push for a watch at Daytona.”

Completing the roster is American standout, 23-year-old Kaylen Frederick. Frederick has extensive experience in Formula 3. He dominated the 2020 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship and became the first American to win that prestigious title. Frederick will be competing in the Michelin Endurance Cup races with JDC-Miller MotorSports and is looking to expand on that program as the season progresses.

“It is a bit humbling to begin my sports car career driving for a top team like JDC-Miller MotorSports, in a car like the Porsche 963, and at one of the biggest races of the year, the Rolex 24 at Daytona. I started my national karting career at the kart track in the Daytona infield, so it seems fitting that I am now starting my endurance racing career at the same prestigious venue. I am very much up to the challenge and know the team will get me up to speed quickly. I’m looking forward to a good result.”



“We are incredibly excited about this lineup, said John Church, Managing Partner of JDC-Miller MotorSports. In Tijmen, Nico, and Kaylen, we have three of the brightest young talents in the sport. They are fast, disciplined, and hungry to succeed in a 24-hour race like the Rolex 24 at Daytona. We have finished 6th here over the past two years, and with this lineup, we are confident we can reach the podium with the goal of taking the top step.”


JDC-Miller MotorSports wraps up 2025 Season with a 12th Place Finish at Petit Le Mans

Katie Church on October 14, 2025

SAVAGE, Minn. (October 13, 2025) — JDC-Miller MotorSports concluded the 2025 season with a 12th-place finish at Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans. Newcomer to sports car racing and IMSA, driver Max Esterson, made an impressive debut in this form of racing. The New Jersey native started in the No. 85 from 12th and handed the car off to Neel Jani in 4th. Jani then completed the next 34 laps in 5th, and the JDC-Miller MotorSports team was very optimistic about the upcoming 5 hours of racing. Some unfortunate contact with other competitors, along with some additional challenges, put the team on the back foot in the closing stages; as a result, they finished in 12th place.

In the 10 hours and 53 seconds the No. 85 Porsche 963 was on track, the JDC-Miller MotorSports drivers completed 1099.8 miles with an average speed of 109.813 mph. This includes 12 pit stops and 5 driver changes.

It was a great experience for all of us at JDC-Miller MotorSports to finish the 2025 season in front of a massive crowd on a beautiful Georgia day. The Petit Le Mans fan experience is second to none and couldn’t have been better for the 2025 edition of Petit Le Mans.  We are very appreciative of our tremendously loyal fan base. Thank you for your ongoing support throughout this and previous seasons. We are already hard at work for the 2026 season.   

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“We were actually much more competitive than our finishing position indicates. When Max brought the car up to 4th during his first stint and Neel ran off a stint in 5th, I thought we were onto something. At that point, our lap times were nearly identical to the leader’s, and we were very optimistic. Some contact with other competitors and a couple of other challenges negatively affected our strategy for the run to the finish. Great job by the drivers and crew. Feeling a bit melancholy as the season wraps up, but really looking forward to the 2026 IMSA season.

Tijmen van der Helm (NL), Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“Petit Le Mans is always a big challenge. We tested well here last month and were quite optimistic. In qualifying and the race, we had a solid setup. The pace was good, but we just needed a little more later on. A couple of times, we faced some bad luck, which happens in racing. Overall, very positive. We kept making improvements and are moving in the right direction. Just looking forward now.

Max Esterson (USA), Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“My first endurance race is complete. Quite an experience.  Good job by the team. The pace was very strong at the start of the race in the heat of the day. Really enjoyed it. Stayed out of trouble and learned a lot. It was a shame we didn’t have the pace at the end, but the team did a great job and we ran out front for a long while early in the race.   It was a really good first race in IMSA.   The team did a great job quickly getting me up to speed in the car with all the systems, switches, and adjustments that can be made. By the race, I was comfortable and knew what to do.”


Neel Jani (CH),  Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“It looked very good for us at some stages. For the first 5 hours, we were near the top, between 4th and 7th. Max did an excellent job for his first race in this type of car and series. Tijmen, as well. I don’t know exactly what happened from mid-race on because we were there at the start. We got taken out twice, once by a Cadillac and once by a BMW (both were penalized). That definitely bent our car a bit. That didn’t help, but that’s Petit Le Mans. We know it’s a tough race, but that’s part of the challenge. Thanks to JDC-Miller for the opportunity to race with them.”

JDC-Miller MotorSports finishes eighth at the Battle on the Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Katie Church on September 23, 2025

SAVAGE, Minn. (September 22, 2025) — It was a weekend of significant progress for the No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 with a strong 8th place finish in the challenging 6-hour Battle on the Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

JDC-Miller MotorSports returning driver Nico Müller qualified the No. 85 Porsche 963 in 12th position, but just .997 seconds behind the pole winner. After qualifying, the drivers collaborated with the engineering team and mechanics to enhance the car’s agility in the tighter sections of the 2.439-mile, 13-turn Indianapolis road course, significantly improving the car’s competitiveness. The anticipated rain on Sunday arrived early and moved through the Indianapolis area well before race time, allowing the entire race to be run in dry conditions in front of a record crowd for the event.

In the fiercely competitive IMSA GTP class, the run for the 85 Porsche was relatively trouble-free over the 243 laps completed. The drivers usually lapped within a few tenths of the Porsche Penske entries; the crew performed, quick, flawless pit stops and driver changes, and the team made excellent strategic decisions, allowing the car to methodically work its way up to its final 8th-place finish. The engineering and strategy crew on the pit stand to made a crucial fuel strategy call late in the race to conserve the position, avoiding an extra pit stop and finishing just 6.046 seconds behind the winners. The team maintained its streak of reliable race finishes, dating back to the 2024 season.

Building on our 2024 effort, we used the Battle on the Bricks as our main event to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This relationship aligned well with IMSA’s childhood cancer initiative at this race, which supported the Austin Hatcher Foundation.

Funds were again raised by offering donors the chance to place a LOVE RACING STOP CANCER sticker on the 85 Porsche for a 6-hour, 200 mph ride. This year’s St. Jude patient family drove all the way from Tennessee to experience their first IMSA race. They are now huge fans. For the team, it was a wonderful experience to host the precocious, now cancer-free, 10-year-old Hadley, along with her extended family. The cool kids were wearing the yellow “sunnies.”

A huge thank you to Senior Pit Lane Supervisor Johnny Knotts for once again introducing our St. Jude kid to all the fans during the pit stop demonstration. Johnny probably doesn’t get many hugs like that in pit lane.

Also thank you to Michael Kaltenmark from IMS for an incredible tour of the Victory Circle and all the operations in the Pagoda that make Indy such an incredible place to watch a race.

You can still support our effort to end childhood cancer by donating here.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“A really great weekend for us. Things really gelled on race day. We struggled a bit in practice and qualifying, but made some adjustments for the race that gave the car the pace we were looking for. The drivers ran a very clean race, and the pit stops and driver changes were excellent. We made a couple of good calls on the pit stand, and the drivers were able to bring it home in a satisfying 8th. This gives us confidence going into the next race at Road Atlanta.”

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

“We struggled a bit during the practice sessions to find a good setup, but we found it for the race. We started 12th and finished 8th, so it was a nice improvement. The guys in the pits did a great job getting us out quickly, and the team made good decisions on race strategy. The pace compared to the other teams was quite close. We are not far off the pace we would like, so with a bit of work, we should be ready for Petit.”

Nico Müller, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“We are very happy with how we executed this race. Generally, the team did a great job, good pit stops, and good strategy calls. I think Tijmen and I had some good stints, maximizing the package that we had. We didn’t really have the pure pace to challenge at the very sharp end, but I think generally the Porsches didn’t this weekend. 
Quite pleased with how we maximized what we had.”

Nico Müller returns to the JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 for the remainder of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season

Katie Church on September 10, 2025

SAVAGE, Minn. (September 8, 2025) — JDC-Miller MotorSports is pleased to announce the return of Swiss Formula E driver Nico Müller to its driver lineup for the remaining two races of the season. Müller will join Tijmen van der Helm in piloting the No. 85 Porsche 963 for the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

Müller competed for JDC-Miller MotorSports earlier this year at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, where the team had a strong performance until experiencing a brake issue late in the race, bringing the car home in 8th overall.   

Since Sebring, Müller has gained additional Porsche 963 seat-time by competing in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and testing as the reserve driver for the Porsche 24 Hours of Le Mans campaign.

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I’m really pleased to have Nico back with us to wrap-up the season. He was a great fit with the team when he was with us at Sebring. Got up to speed with the 963 very quickly, which is not an easy thing to do. We think he will give us that little bit of extra pace we are looking for. We finished this race 3rd last year, so our goal is to move up a step or two.”

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

“It’s great to have Nico back with us for the Indy and Petit.  I very much enjoyed driving with him at Sebring. A great addition to the team.” 

Nico Müller, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“I am very excited to be back with JDC-Miller MotorSports after our race together earlier this season at Sebring. We demonstrated good pace and great potential during the 12-Hour event. I’m looking forward to building on that performance straight away.

Hopefully, I can help the team make further progress in the two races at Indianapolis and Road Atlanta. I’m really excited to compete in these endurance races with this amazing team. I’m familiar with Indianapolis because, in 2021, I took part in an 8-hour GT3 race there. I haven’t raced at Road Atlanta yet, so I’m eager to get my first experience on that fantastic track. Petit Le Mans is on every driver’s bucket list, so I’m truly excited about this opportunity. We’re going to give it our best effort to achieve some good results for JDC-Miller MotorSports.” 

LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. returns to the Battle on the Bricks.

JDC-Miller MotorSports will once again host a St. Jude patient family this year. Already a motorsports fan, 10-year-old Hadley is thrilled to join the team. A St. Jude patient since age 2 and now cancer-free, watch for Hadley and her family around the paddock. They will be available for interviews. 

You can add your sticker to the No. 85 Porsche 963 or make a donation of any amount by clicking here.

🎗️ Send a Sticker for a Ride on the #85 Porsche 963 at the Battle on the Bricks:

  • 💛 Donate $250+: Get a 4” yellow sticker placed on the car.
  • 🖤 Donate $500+: Get a 5” black sticker for its 200 mph ride.
  • ✍️ Personalize your sticker with a message of hope!

We’ll mail you a sticker to keep and place one on your car. Every dollar helps ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food—because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Help us “kiss the bricks” in the fight against childhood cancer.

Watch the Battle on the Bricks

Complete race is on Peacock starting Sunday, September 21st at 11:30 eastern.

NBC picks up the race at 3:00 eastern and runs through the conclusion at 6:00.

JDC-Miller MotorSports finishes in the 10th position at Road America

Katie Church on August 11, 2025

SAVAGE, Minn. (August 3rd, 2025) — It was an uneventful home race weekend for the No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 in front of a large group of incredibly loyal family, sponsors, and fans.

The JDC-Miller Motorsports No. 85 Porsche 963 qualified in 11th position, but the hardworking JDC-Miller Motorsports crew made some productive changes overnight before race day, successfully making the car more competitive for the race. Driver Gianmaria Bruno gained a spot at the start and worked his way up to 5th position with skillful driving and great team strategy. Unfortunately, he later got caught in traffic and lost the spot to the race-winning BMWs. After the pit stop and driver change, the No. 85 Porsche fell back to 10th and ran the rest of the race there without incident.

Our 2024 St. Jude patient family returned to Road America this year as race fans. Colton, now a cancer-free 11-year-old, hung out with the team and his IMSA friends. This marked the kickoff of JDC-Miller MotorSports’ St. Jude fundraising effort, again carrying the LOVE RACING. STOP CANCER. theme, which will culminate at the 6-hour race next month at Indianapolis. You can support this effort by donating here:

Quotes:

John Church, Managing Partner, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“Another tough race for the 85 Porsche 963.  We struggled with pace throughout the weekend.  The guys worked hard, giving the drivers a much better car for the race.  Many thanks to all our sponsors, family, and friends who came to support us at our home race.”  

Gimmi Bruni, Driver, No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

“Thanks to a strong start and solid strategy, we managed to break into the top five at times today. Later on, I got held up in lapped traffic. Compared to yesterday, we took a step in the right direction with our Porsche’s setup. However, we still lack top speed on the straights. Hopefully, that will improve in the final two races, so duels with other competitors become more enjoyable again – that would be nice. “

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

“Frustrating weekend. We didn’t have a lot for our competition. They didn’t need to fight us for position as they knew they could get the position a bit further down the road. The crew made the car better throughout the weekend, so that is good. I am looking forward to what we can do at Indy.