JDC-Miller Reaffirms Two-Car Cadillac DPi Plans

Photo: Rick Dole/IMSA

JDC-Miller Motorsports has been among the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams to have reaffirmed its initial plans for the 2020 season, with the Minnesota-based squad set to campaign two Cadillac DPi-V.Rs for the balance of the year.

Team co-owner John Church has confirmed to Sportscar365 that both of its DPi entries will be on the grid in next month’s WeatherTech 240 at Daytona, with the Mustang Sampling-sponsored car of Joao Barbosa and Sebastien Bourdais still set for the full season.

The No. 85 car, which was to feature a mixed driver lineup prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, will be driven by Tristan Vautier and Chris Miller at Daytona and Road America.

Church said they’re “getting closer” to confirming the car’s lineup for next month’s sprint race at Sebring International Raceway, which along with the event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, remain the only two question-marks for the ‘Banana Boat’ DPi entry.

“I think the only one after Sebring that’s shaky is Laguna,” Church said of the No. 85 car’s participation. “But that may be the only [race] left on the schedule that’s shaky anyway.

“It’s not easy right now but we’re pedaling as fast as we can and trying to keep it all going. It’s interesting times.”

Church said it’s the team’s goal to utilize Vautier as much as possible in the car although wouldn’t outright confirm the Frenchman’s participation for the rest of the season.

“It’s a financial situation but it would certainly be our goal to keep him in the car as much as we can,” he said.

While Loic Duval is set to return to the No. 5 Mustang Sampling car for the Michelin Endurance Cup races at Watkins Glen and Sebring, Church said a question mark hangs on the Audi factory driver’s participation at Motul Petit Le Mans, which now clashes with a DTM round in Zolder.

It’s one of the unknowns the team has been faced with, in terms of scheduling and logistics that’s impacted nearly every facet of motorsports worldwide.

Church believes the remainder of the IMSA season will be “very hectic” at points but is confident it will be manageable.

“We’re not horribly panicked,” he said. “I think everybody is just wanting to get to that first event and see how it goes.

“I’m sure we’ll make some adjustments as we go based on what we learn at Daytona and/or Sebring.”

Reconfirmation of the team’s pair of entries should result in a stable eight-car DPi grid, with all other teams in the top prototype class also expected back once racing resumes on July 3-4.

In addition to its two-car DPi effort, Church said they will field a LMP3 car in IMSA Prototype Challenge, while “working through” its Audi RS 3 LMS TCR entry, driven by Stephen Simpson and Michael Johnson, in Michelin Pilot Challenge competition.

Both series are scheduled to resume action at Sebring next month.

JDC-Miller recently took part in a test at Road America with its LMP3 car, while also running a club race at the Wisconsin circuit last weekend.

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