Laurin Heinrich pushed the JDC‑Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 to a resilient third place at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen while a victory by Jack Aitken left the German driver 203 points behind in the GTP championship.
Mid‑range turmoil and triumph
The #5 Porsche 963 opened the weekend in fifth place at Watkins Glen International, but a cut left‑rear tyre suffered by co‑driver Kaylen Frederick imposed a severe setback four hours before the finish.
Frederick’s contact with a GTD car at Turn 9 left a carcass on the track, forcing a rapid pit stop that dropped the team a full lap. Despite this, the rally of caution flags and the mechanical bruising allowed the trio of Frederick, Hienrich, and Tijman van der Helm to claw back to the lead lap.
Early adversity and strategic recovery
Heinrich relieved the cockpit in the final two stints, blasting back into contention after a brief 55‑minute lag caused by a slow pit service. He trimmed a 13‑second deficit to the race leader to 6.5 seconds before Nick Yelloly’s rear‑wing weaving on the final lap set the stage for the podium.
“It was a roller coaster, the race, on a roller coaster track,” recalled Heinrich. “We started in third, hit trouble, were a lap down, and had to replace a tyre under emergency service. The team didn’t give up.”
Final laps and podium finish
During the closing minutes, Heinrich’s steady hand on the throttle brought the car back within reach of the leaders. The caution on the final lap locked the positions, securing the third‑place finish for JDC‑Miller MotorSports.
Kevin Riley’s new driver line‑up proved capable of managing pressure, with the car’s long‑run pace and tyre strategy sustaining the push across the race’s most turbulent segments.
Championship implications for Heinrich
Entering the race 144 points behind Aitken, the German’s podium was insufficient to close the gap, which grew to 203 points after the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac’s victory. “I was disappointed,” Heinrich admitted, “but we remain optimistic.”
He praised Porsche and the team for their resilience, noting that the car’s performance once back on the lead lap gave the crew confidence for future weekends.
Team resilience and future outlook
Heinrich highlighted the depth of the JDC‑Miller squad, stating, “We never gave up, kept our heads cool, and fought for good moves at the end.” He added that the tight racing and fair competition embodied the spirit of IMSA and that the team would re‑watch the race eagerly.
With March 2026 races ahead, the crew remains focused on turning adversity into tactic, aiming to narrow the championship deficit and challenge the front‑rankers in the GTP class.
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Lumen via Getty Images
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