Privateer Porsche Stuns at Laguna Seca

Privateer Porsche Stuns at Laguna Seca Brandon Badraoui The cynics sometimes suggest that IMSA is the only major series where everybody gets a trophy. When it came to the surprise victory by JDC-Miller Motorsports crew at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in round 4 of the WeatherTech Championship, the trophy came the old-fashioned way. The privateer Porsche 963 team earned it thanks to the late-race heroics of 24-year-old Laurin Heinrich.

It was remarkable GTP rookie Heinrich who reeled in the leading Cadillac V-Series. R of Earl Bamber on the last lap of Sunday’s race. “It’s an honor for me to fight with Earl because I followed him his whole career when I was not professional yet,” said the young Porsche factory driver who co-drove with Tijmen van der Helm.

“And to go side by side with Earl and door to door around Laguna Seca in a GTP car, that was so much fun. The JDC car was amazing to drive, such a joy. ” Remarkably, the victory makes Heinrich the GTP points leader over Jack Aitken, Bamber’s co-driver.

The Porsche Penske Motorsport teammates that Heinrich co-drove with to victory at Daytona and Sebring—Felipe Nasr and Julien Andlauer—finished seventh and dropped to third in the points. Tijmen van der Helm (left) and Laurin Heinrich in victory lane with the winners' sticker. Michael L.