The Successful Minnesota Operation Joins Factory-Supported Penske Motorsport in Running the Porsche LMDh in 2023
By Jeff Olson
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – JDC-Miller MotorSports will field the first customer entry for Porsche Motorsport North America when the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class debuts in 2023.
JDC-Miller will field a single Porsche 963 prototype as a privateer in the new top class, PMNA announced Saturday before qualifying for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International.
A second privateer entry is expected to be announced soon, PMNA said.
“It is a very special day for Porsche Motorsport, particularly PMNA, to be able to announce our first customer Porsche 963 for IMSA,” said Volker Holzmeyer, president and CEO, Porsche Motorsport North America. “That we can say it is an established team with a championship pedigree like JDC-Miller MotorSports is especially gratifying.”
Founded in 1994 and based in Minneapolis, JDC-Miller MotorSports is co-owned by John Church and John Miller. The team has 18 championships, 62 wins, 60 pole positions and 210 total podium finishes across its platform of entries in the last eight years.
The team currently fields the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, which will be co-driven by Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval and Richard Westbrook in the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class in Sunday’s race.
“To be associated with an iconic brand such as Porsche and their incredible legacy in racing is just very special,” Church said. “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.”
The new LMDh platform car features an engine that will generate more than 670 horsepower from the combined output of an internal combustion engine – Porsche is producing a twin-turbo, 4.6-liter V-8 powerplant for the project – paired with a standard hybrid powertrain.
So far, Porsche, Acura, BMW and Cadillac have committed to entering GTP when it debuts in January at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Lamborghini has announced its intent to enter the class in 2024.
Porsche Motorsport North America will provide full customer support for the privateer entries in 2023, including technical and parts support.
“A very unique aspect of the Porsche 963 is our ability to provide customer race cars from its very start,” Holzmeyer said. “This is a major undertaking as we must simultaneously develop the platform and a customer support structure that ensures parity between our customer programs and the Porsche Penske Motorsport operation. Our history, dating back to the first Porsche, has always been one of celebrating our customer victories as a Porsche victory and a Porsche works win as a customer program win.”
On Friday, Porsche Penske Motorsports unveiled its livery and drivers for the team’s factory entries in the WeatherTech Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship, with two cars planned for each series.