JDC-Miller Evaluating Asian Hypercar Program With Porsche

Photo: Porsche

JDC-Miller Motorsports is evaluating a potential Asian Le Mans Series program once the Hypercar class is introduced in the championship beginning in the 2026/27 season according to team principal John Church.

The Minnesota-based team, which became the first customer Porsche 963 team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2023, is looking to broaden its horizons amid news that the ACO and SRO-run Asian championship will accept privateer Hypercar class entries after next season.

“I think it would be great,” Church told Sportscar365. “I’ve never raced in Asia. It would be fun to go over there and give it a go.

“They just announced it. I haven’t really done any [serious] planning yet, but we’re definitely starting to look at schedules and whatnot.”

While the 2026/27 schedule has yet to be released, the next campaign, which spreads over the winter months of 2025/26, does not have any clashing dates with the WeatherTech Championship.

Additionally, JDC-Miller already has a second, yet-to-be-raced Porsche 963 that it could use for the campaign.

“If you do it with a different car, then it shouldn’t be an issue,” said Church. “It would be pretty straightforward to do it with our second car.

“A lot of things can change in a year-and-a-half but it seems like there’s definitely an opportunity to do it. And it would make sense for us.

“Logistically it’s doable as far as people go. If you were trying to use a car in both places, that ain’t going to happen.”

Former JDC-Miller driver Richard Westbrook, who now serves as a driver advisor within the team, believes an Asian LMS program could provide a prime opportunity to develop new talent.

“John’s always struggled to get people in the car because the testing is so limited,” Westbrook told Sportscar365.

“I think that’s a perfect opportunity to get a young driver in the car, who has ambitions of moving up to GTP or LMDh, and get them some decent time in the car away from the big grids of IMSA or WEC where your learning is limited, to really feel what the car can do.

“They’re good tracks. I think it’s a great calendar and a good chance to test people with a view of running them in IMSA.”

While the ACO has yet to indicate if the Hypercar champion would receive an auto-invite to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Church admits that it would also be a big selling point.

“Of course it would be, 100 percent,” he said. “It’s definitely of interest.”

Church revealed that the team has been getting “very close” to getting its second 963 on track in the WeatherTech Championship on multiple occasions this year.

Sportscar365 understands that a significant effort is underway to run as a two-car operation in the series in 2026.

“The car’s all together, ready to go, in the other trailer. That’s where we’re at with it,” said Church.

“We’ve had everything all in place but we can’t hit the go button. It’s frustrating because we can really use that right now, to have another set of data.”

Westbrook added: “The advantage of having two cars vs. one car is massive because of the limit on testing. You can run two different philosophies in FP1 and you get double the feedback.

“As I know in 2023 with a one-car with Cadillac in WEC, it is tough. You’ve got to hit it right from the word go because you can’t rely on the No. 2 car running a different setup and seeing if that works.

“It is difficult running one car. I’m always pushing John and he would love to do it. But it has to be right, and with the right drivers as well.”

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