JDC-Miller Wants to Keep Its Porsche in 2025-Spec Next Year

Photo: Jordan Lenssen/Porsche

JDC-Miller Motorsports is hoping to continue with its 2025-spec Porsche 963 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year according to team principal John Church, who has outlined the gains made with last year’s package.

The Minnesota-based team was granted permission by IMSA not to update to the German manufacturer’s aero overhaul for 2026, which is understood to be a cost to the team in the six-digit figures, and instead keep with the configuration that it has used during the 2025 season.

While initially starting the season on the same Balance of Performance as the latest-spec factory Porsche Penske Motorsport entries, IMSA introduced separate BoPs for the two car configurations from the Long Beach round.

One race later, Laurin Heinrich and Tijmen van der Helm scored a breakthrough victory at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the first-ever GTP win for a privateer squad.

Church previously stated remaining with the 2025 package was the only way the team was able to make this year’s grid, due to the added expense, although now believes remaining in the current configuration is also beneficial from a setup point of view.

When asked by Sportscar365 on whether they’ll be allowed to continue with its current 963 next year, Church said: “It’s up to IMSA. I’d like to continue with what we have, 100 percent.

“There’s been off-the-cuff conversations but nothing real formal. That would be a big deal for us at this point.

“It would be nice to run the same car and we’ve got a pretty good handle on it now, so it just makes it easier.

“This has turned out exactly how I hoped it would. We get some more time with a car that we know and develop it. Now we’re in a position where we can run well.”

IMSA President John Doonan said they’ve yet to have a discussion on the topic regarding the 2025-spec Porsche’s eligibility for next year.

The technical regulations for the joint ACO-IMSA LMDh platform state that all cars must run in the latest specifications if Evo jokers are applied, with JDC-Miller having been the first team to receive an exception in either the WeatherTech Championship or FIA World Endurance Championship.

“We haven’t made a decision on where that car will be next year,” said Doonan. “We haven’t had a discussion about it.”

When asked if the success this season by JDC-Miller has encouraged the possibility of any additional privateers to join the GTP grid next year, Doonan downplayed such prospects.

“I was at Le Mans and saw a lot of teams that are expressing interest in coming to IMSA but nothing specific as of yet,” he said.

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