The six-hour endurance race at Watkins Glen was shaped by incidents and eight safety car periods that repeatedly interrupted the action. Despite the chaotic conditions, JDC-Miller MotorSports delivered a measured performance to secure third place overall and in the GTP class. Factory driver Laurin Heinrich teamed with Tijmen van der Helm and Kaylen Frederick to guide the customer-run Porsche 963 onto the podium through consistent pace and effective strategy.
The Porsche Penske Motorsport factory entries also featured among the frontrunners throughout the race, with both Porsche 963s spending time in podium contention before ultimately finishing fifth and sixth. The No. 7 entry crossed the line ahead of the No. 6 car.
“As expected, the race was difficult for us,” Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh, said. “We got the most out of our two factory cars under these conditions. Porsche Penske Motorsport seized every opportunity that arose and performed flawlessly. That was all that was possible today. Congratulations to our customer team, JDC-Miller MotorSports. The entire team there, along with our factory driver Laurin Heinrich, did a very good job.”
Following the sixth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Porsche remains second in the manufacturers’ standings. Heinrich also holds second place in the drivers’ championship, while the factory pairings of Felipe Nasr and Julien Andlauer, and Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, occupy fourth and sixth, respectively. Porsche continues to lead the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup standings, which include the endurance races at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Road America and Road Atlanta.
Porsche 911 GT3 R puts in a strong performance in both GT classes
AO Racing‘s bid for victory in the GTD Pro class ended in disappointment after a late-race penalty. Nick Tandy and Harry King had kept the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R, nicknamed “Rexy,” in contention through strong strategy and mistake-free driving, but a drive-through penalty with just 18 minutes remaining dropped the team to eighth at the finish.
Manthey’s No. 911 Porsche saw its race come to an early end after two hours. Running fourth at the time, Dutch driver and 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion Loek Hartog made contact with the barriers in Turn 6, causing race-ending damage to the car.
Porsche customer teams enjoyed greater success in the GTD class, led by Manthey 1st Phorm, which claimed victory with a well-executed fuel strategy. Factory driver Richard Lietz shared the winning Porsche 911 GT3 R with Ryan Hardwick and Riccardo Pera, with the decisive pit stop providing just enough energy to reach the finish.
Wright Motorsports completed a Porsche one-two in class, with Adam Adelson, Callum Ilott and Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver Tom Sargent finishing second in an identical 911 GT3 R. The RS1 Porsche completed the race in ninth place.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship resumes July 12 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park near Toronto for Round 7. The event will feature the LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD classes. The Porsche 963 returns to competition on August 2 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where the six-hour race joins the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.
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Above contents © 2026 Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee 🏁
