JDC-Miller Pushing for Second Porsche 963 Entry Next Year

Photo: Porsche

JDC-Miller Motorsports is working to have its second Porsche 963 on the grid in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year according to team advisor Richard Westbrook, who is hoping to attract up-and-coming talent to make an expanded program a reality.

The Minnesota-based team, which became the first privateer to win in the GTP era of the championship, has made significant gains this year with its 2025-spec Porsche and has arguably played a key role in Laurin Heinrich’s title chances.

Former driver Westbrook, who looks after the John Church-led squad’s drivers as well as serving in a sporting capacity, said the only way for the team to continue its upward trajectory would be to add a second 963.

It already has a second chassis in its possession, having purchased a complete second car in late 2023, initially to have a complete set of spares.

“The goal is for us to make another big step, which we feel like we’ve made this year. The next step would be to run two cars,” Westbrook told Sportscar365.

“Definitely, it’s a disadvantage just having one car with the testing rules.

“Having two cars opens that up. It allows you to get on track more. Especially with our program, we’re really focusing on young, next-generational talent that may be new to IMSA.

“That’s a really important thing for us. Also for rolling off the truck, having two cars and trying two different theories on setup. It just helps.

“We really want to make another step for next year. We don’t want to stand still. John [Church] is very much of the same opinion. For us that means having two cars, and that’s the goal.”

Westbrook credited much of its success this year due to having consistency with its overall package, with IMSA having permitted the team to keep its car in 2025 specification compared to the factory Porsche Penske Motorsport entries that debuted extensive aero updates for this year.

JDC-Miller currently sits sixth in the GTP teams’ championship, notably ahead of both works Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing and a BMW M Team WRT and Acura Meyer Shank Racing entry apiece, entering next weekend’s season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans.

“It’s been a huge step,” said Westbrook. “It’s taken a while, probably a bit longer than we wanted to. I think the green shoots of recovery was first seen at the back-end of last year.

“We wanted to continue that, and staying on the ’25 homologation, which was a plus for us.

“Obviously we’re a private team. We don’t have the resources, so we were going into this year with a known quantity with a car that we felt like that we were getting a handle on.

“I think it’s proved to be a success.”

While Westbrook believes their chances are “better than they ever have been” for a second car, he admitted that a number of elements need to come together.

Sportscar365 understands that clarity in the GTP/Hypercar testing regulations is one of the current factors, particularly in enabling the team to evaluate new drivers.

It’s known the team has been targeting open-wheel drivers that bring budget, particularly those either currently in Indy NXT or having made starts in NTT IndyCar Series competition.

“The circumstances have to be right and the drivers have to be right,” said Westbrook. “We don’t want to run a second car just for the sake of running a second car.

“We want a second car with hungry, young drivers wanting to work their way up the sports car ladder.”

Church, however, said they’re still in the process of confirming drivers for its No. 5 entry, with Tijmen van der Helm, who has been with JDC-Miller’s GTP program since the start, understood to have an option on his contract.

Kaylen Frederick, who joined the team for the Michelin Endurance Cup races this year, revealed to Sportscar365 last month that he’s hoping to secure a full season seat with the team in 2027 as well.

In addition, it’s believed that Max Esterson, who made his sports car racing debut with the team at last year’s Motul Petit Le Mans and turned down a full-time drive this year in favor of a GTD Pro effort with Rahal Letterman Lanigan, is also in discussions.

It’s unclear if Porsche will again loan works drivers to the team next year, but factory Formula E driver Nico Mueller rejoined has team for the final two races of this season after Heinrich was re-assigned to Porsche Penske one race early.

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