JDC-Miller Confirmed as First Porsche 963 Customer

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Longtime IMSA prototype entrant JDC-Miller Motorsports has been confirmed as the first customer of Porsche’s 963 LMDh car in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The Minnesota-based team, led by team co-owners John Church and John Miller, will make the switch to the German manufacturer after multiple years with Cadillac DPi machinery in the series’ top class.

Drivers for the single-car program have yet to be announced.

Porsche Motorsport North America will provide “full customer support” to JDC-Miller, with engineering and parts sales to be provided at both its California-based headquarters and in the paddock.

“It is a very special day for Porsche Motorsport, particularly PMNA, to be able to announce our first customer Porsche 963 for IMSA,” said PMNA President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer.

“That we can say it is an established team with a championship pedigree like JDC-Miller MotorSports is especially gratifying.

“Under the leadership of John Church and John Miller, JDC-Miller has established itself among the leading international prototype operations and that has proven itself from the earliest conversations about the team’s interest in representing Porsche as a customer program.

“While this will be our first foray into a partnership with JDC-Miller, their track record, attention to detail as well as enthusiasm has already confirmed this will be a successful relationship.

“We look forward to 2023 when, together, we can again challenge for overall wins.”

JDC-Miller currently fields a Mustang Sampling-sponsored Cadillac DPi-V.R for Tristan Vautier and Richard Westbrook, which along with third driver Loic Duval, leads the Michelin Endurance Cup standings heading into this weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

“We are very excited about this new partnership with Porsche and the new LMDh Hybrid platform that will run in IMSA’s new GTP prototype category, starting with the 2023 season,” said Church.

“To be associated with an iconic brand such as Porsche and their incredible legacy in racing is just very special.

“A lot of work went into making this happen and we feel strongly that we have found the best possible partner for the future and look forward to adding to the incredible success Porsche has already enjoyed in IMSA.”

Miller added: “We worked very hard to get to this point and I could not be more proud of my partner John Church and everyone in our group and company including our partners who have contributed to our success.

“These are very exciting times for our team but I think we have proven in the past as well as in the current ongoing season that we are ready for this new chapter and challenge with the support and partner such as Porsche.”

A second privateer team for the WeatherTech Championship, believed to be a European-based operation, is expected to be announced in the “coming weeks” according to Porsche.

Porsche has previously stated that it will support a maximum of two customer cars in both the WeatherTech Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship next year alongside the factory entries from Porsche Penske Motorsport.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John