JDC-Miller MotorSports today confirmed 28-year-old Swiss WEC and GP2 ace Simon Trummer as one of the team’s full-season drivers for the new # 84 IMSA Championship Prototype entry. 

Trummer brings a wealth of experience to JDC. Having most recently campaigned an ORECA 07 in the 2017 World Endurance Championship, his background also includes 18 starts in LMP1 and three starts at the 24 Hours of LeMans. Prior to making the transition to sports cars, he competed in various open-wheel categories; earning podium finishes in GP2 and International Formula Masters, among others.

He recently joined JDC-Miller for a test at Sebring International Raceway, before finishing out the FIA World Endurance Championship with the final round in Bahrain.

“Simon is a great addition to our program. He has a lot of experience with the ORECA 07 which immediately showed during the two day test at Sebring,” commented team principal John Church.

“With the team moving to a two-car program in 2018, we felt it was important to include someone like Simon to our program that knows the car and fits very well into our program on a personal side. When he tested with us at Sebring he was right up to speed for being at the track for the first time while also driving on a new tire. More importantly, he fit right into the entire group, it was like he had been with us all year”, Church explained.

“I have always wanted to race in the US and IMSA at the moment is for sure very attractive with all the new cars and manufacturers joining the championship. JDC-Miller had an incredible season in their first year competing in Prototype and when they decided to expand to a two-car program for 2018 we started discussing the possibilities of doing something together”, remarked Trummer.

“John is exactly right, I felt right at home with the entire group when we tested together last month at Sebring. Sometimes you just “click” with people right away, so I am really excited to be joining JDC-Miller for the upcoming season”.

The team recently announced their 2018 line-up for the # 85 car, with JDC-Miller regulars Misha Goikhberg and Stephen Simpson teaming up for their second prototype class campaign and Chris Miller joining the # 85 line-up again for the four rounds of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup.

JDC-Miller MotorSports will next head to Daytona for the official IMSA test on December 5th and 6th.

More news about JDC Miller MotorSports 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship program is expected to be released soon.

Performance Tech Motorsports will be joining the Prototype class for the 2018 IMSA SportsCar Challenge season with the purchase of a ORECA 07 LMP2.

Team Principal Brent O’Neill struck a new deal with French manufacturer ORECA for the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after retiring the No. 38 ORECA FLM09 Prototype Challenge. The long-awaited announcement comes after much deliberation over manufacturers, series and classes.

O’Neill had his eyes set on the Prototype class since late 2016 when the final year of the PC class was announced. He specifically selected ORECA and IMSA because he wants to be challenged against the best and compete with the best equipment. Performance Tech enters its sixth year with ORECA this upcoming season.

“We know everybody going into this. Everyone is expecting to see Dallara or Ligier but we look forward to continuing the relationship we’ve built over the years it was the right choice for us,” O’Neill said. “It’s a big step for everybody but it’s a less steep curve to continue with ORECA because we’ve been working with them all along. ORECA was a part of our success this year.

“They did great through this process. We’ve had fun getting people excited about the new car. This, the car announcement, played out well for both of us. Everyone was asking ORECA who the car was for and our team was excited. But we’re happy to announce with them and excited to get to work.”

Performance Tech has competed, and won, at every level of prototype racing except for the Prototype class. Now, with the PC class removed and a championship in hand it is time the team proves itself against the giants of Prototype racing. The familiarity between the manufacturer and team gives each side added hope at a successful first year together in the Prototype class.

ORECA Technical Director David Floury proudly supports the family team from Deerfield Beach, Florida.

“We are really glad to partner Performance Tech in moving up to LMP2,” Floury said. “The team is strong and has shown it in LMPC and we have developed a very good relationship through the year. ORECA will for sure support as much as possible to help Performance Tech continue to achieve success.  

“I think they chose the right car for two main reasons. Firstly, the ORECA 07 is known for quality and has proven its speed and reliability. But besides this, it is a good base for teams that are entering the category for the first year to achieve great results. JDC in the USA or Graff in Europe have really demonstrated this in 2017. The second point is that Performance Tech and ORECA have developed a strong and successful relationship through years. This will enable to gain valuable time and speed up the process.”

Performance Tech begins the 2018 season in January with the Rolex 24 At Daytona. O’Neill looks forward to testing with his team prior to the start of the season and anticipates a good showing at the Roar Before the 24. Performance Tech Motorsports is focused on having its new toy in working order for a second chance at a second win at Daytona.

For its Prototype class debut, CORE autosport has recruited Romain Dumas and Loïc Duval to its driver lineup for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The two Frenchmen will join Jon Bennett and Colin Braun for the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener.
 
Dumas and Duval are both former FIA World Endurance Champions and overall winners at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
 
A Porsche Factory Driver, Dumas won the 2016 FIA WEC Championship in a Porsche 919 Hybrid with teammates Neel Jani and Marc Lieb. He’s won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times; in 2010 driving an Audi R15, in 2013 at the wheel of a Porsche 911 RSR and in 2016 with the Porsche 919 Hybrid. Dumas has also collected wins at the 24 Hours of Spa and the 24 Hours of Nüburgring.
 
Duval is an Audi Factory Driver, the 2013 FIA WEC Champion and 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, both titles with Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish in an Audi R18.
 
Not only do Dumas and Duval bring exceptional endurance racing experience to CORE, but both drivers have prior experience in the ORECA 07 Gibson, taking part in various rounds of the 2017 FIA WEC.
 
Duval made his debut at Daytona in 2017 (driving an ORECA 07 Gibson), while Dumas has made five appearances and finished as high as third in class (2002 and 2008). Neither has tasted victory at Daytona, which is something CORE can boast, having climbed the top step in its first attempt in 2014.
 
CORE is confident this powerhouse driver lineup paired with its IMSA experience will help it achieve success again at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, January 27 – 28. 

Jon Bennett: “I am excited to share our new ORECA 07 with an amazing group of all-star teammates. Both Romain Dumas and Loïc Duval are simply two of the most talented race drivers in the world. Both Romain and Loïc have unmatched experience in 24 hour endurance competitions. In the trophy case, both Romain and Loïc have proof of the day they stood upon the podium as overall champion at Le Mans. I know Colin [Braun] and I share our new teammates’ passion for adding the Rolex 24 overall win to our collection of victories.
 
“Our team principle, Morgan Brady, was instrumental in searching the world for the best endurance drivers. We have developed many great relationships since CORE’s beginnings in 2010. These relationships and Morgan’s talent for understanding personalities and strong team chemistry brought us to this incredible opportunity for us all.” 

Romain Dumas: “I’m really happy to go back to Daytona. For a long a time I’ve been looking to come back, but Dakar is always at the same time. This year, as soon as I get the opportunity with CORE, I decided not to do Dakar.
 
“Loïc and I were teammates at Audi in 2012 and as soon as I heard it was a possibility for him to be part of the team, I was very enthusiastic. We live very close to each other—eight miles away—so we have a good relationship. It was clear when I spoke with him that we are there to achieve the best result and we are old enough to understand that we are here for the team and that’s very important for Daytona.
 
“I drove this car [ORECA 07 Gibson], this year at Le Mans with Alpine and at Spa. I know it’s a very cool car. I think its pace will be pretty good. I know we have a lot of competition ahead of us. First, we have to do our own race, without looking at everyone else, then the race will come to us if we are doing a good job.” 

Loic Duval: “Going to Daytona for a racing driver means a lot. It was good to be there. The most impressive thing for me was the banking. When you’re in those corners and you’ve never done an oval or anything like that, it’s impressive to see the angle you can take.
 
“The main thing I know about CORE is they are the GT factory team for Porsche and to be honest that is about it. I spoke a little but with Romain and he explained to me about how professional the team is. It wasn’t a surprise though, because when you are a factory team for Porsche it means a lot already. I knew that the team was first class.
 
“I’ve been doing some testing back in Europe and I was racing in Bahrain in WEC in the ORECA. It’s definitely good training for me because I will not race any car from now to Daytona, so I’m quite sharp in the LMP2 ORECA, which for me also makes a lot of sense to be fully fit for Daytona.” 

Mazda Motorsports has announced the team of drivers that will pilot the two Mazda RT24-P race cars in the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Mazda Team Joest.

Racing under the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) rules package, this is the first season for the combination of Mazda and Joest Racing, joining the third-winningest manufacturer in IMSA racing history with the team that has won 15 times at Le Mans.

Competing for the championship in the 10-race season will be long-time Mazda drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Tristan Nuñez, both Americans, who will be joined by British racers Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell, who both join Mazda for the first time. For the four longest endurance races, the quartet of drivers will be supplemented by IndyCar racer Spencer Pigot and 2017 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) touring car champion René Rast.

The driver combinations for each car have not been set, as the team continues a busy testing schedule ahead of the season-opening 24 at Daytona in late January.

“Mazda has had a driver development program since 2007,” explained John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports in North America.

“So, it’s a big part of our Mazda Prototype program to feature drivers that have come up through the Mazda ranks, whether that’s in sports cars like Tristan Nuñez, or the open-wheel side of things with Bomarito and Pigot. We’re thrilled that those superb young men are back with us again in 2018.

"Working with Joest, we were also able to secure fast, winning drivers from their recent history, which makes Jarvis and Rast a good fit, as is Tincknell, who has been successful in both GT and Prototype cars,” said Doonan.

“We ask a lot of our drivers outside the car as well, so it’s great to add drivers who will fit the chemistry of what we hope to achieve as a team.”