JDC-Miller Signs Westbrook to Full-Season DPi Lineup

Richard Westbrook will return to the top class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year after signing with Cadillac DPi squad JDC-Miller Motorsports.

The British driver has been confirmed as Tristan Vautier’s co-driver for 2022, replacing Loic Duval in the Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R on a full-time basis.

Duval will continue to represent JDC-Miller in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, alongside his Hypercar drive with Peugeot in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The Frenchman won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March with his compatriots Vautier and Sebastien Bourdais, who is no longer part of the JDC roster.

New full-season signing Westbrook is set for his first campaign in IMSA’s top prototype division since 2015 when he finished second in the standings sharing a VisitFlorida Racing Corvette DP with Michael Valiante.

“It’s great to have Loic and Tristan back for 2022, and we welcome Richard to the program,” said JDC-Miller Motorsports managing partner John Church.

“2021 was a challenging year for us. We were super competitive at Daytona until we had contact, then we bounced back and won the race at Sebring but after that, we got a little unlucky at several of the races.

“We know we had the speed but just never got the results. We had an opportunity to test Richard earlier this year and we feel he is the perfect fit for our program to partner with Tristan and Loic for next year and in the future.

“The continuity we have with Loic will prove valuable and with his previous commitments for a WEC program in 2022, he was the obvious choice for the endurance rounds in 2022.”

After his successful 2015 prototype campaign, Westbrook signed with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing for a four-year GT Le Mans term that included eight class victories.

When that program came to a halt at the end of the 2019 season, he took on a handful of one-off appearances including a GT Daytona-class drive in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and a 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Pro podium run driving for Aston Martin Racing.

The 46-year-old also worked with Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus at the Nürburgring 24 and went on to form part of the American automaker’s core lineup for its WEC Hypercar entry this year.

“I’m really excited to be back in IMSA for 2021 and to be joining JDC-Miller Motorsports in the Cadillac DPi-V.R,” said Westbrook, who tested with the American team at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in October.

“I’ve been in contact with John ever since my GTLM program ended in 2019 and we both were keen to work together when the opportunity was right.

“I’m just so happy we finally did it and grateful to John and the entire team and partners for believing in me and I’ll do whatever it takes to help take this team move forward into 2022 after they had some strong races last year.

“Last time I raced in the top class in IMSA we narrowly missed out on the title going into Petit Le Mans in 2015, so I feel I have a lot of unfinished business to take care of and I can’t wait to get going at the Roar in January.”

Vautier is approaching his fourth year with JDC-Miller Motorsports. He finished sixth in last year’s standings alongside Duval, with the pair claiming a podium at Long Beach in addition to their Sebring triumph.

Keating Completes Lineup for Rolex 24

JDC-Miller Motorsports’ driving squad for next month’s season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona will be completed by reigning LMP2 champion Ben Keating, who is set to make his DPi debut.

The Bronze-rated Texan said that it will be a “dream come true” to race in the top class, after previously competing in Pro-Am categories such as LMP2 and GTD.

“I am extremely excited to be running with JDC-Miller Motorsports for the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona,” Keating commented.

“I have absolutely loved racing the LMP2 in IMSA for 2021, and to have the opportunity to drive in the top class of DPi and have a shot at an overall win is a dream come true.

“I have high expectations for myself and with the lineup of Tristan, Loic and Richard we for sure are a candidate for the overall win.

“The JDC-Miller Motorsports team has proven it can win at this top level, and they always seem to be quick at Daytona.”