JDC-Miller Audi wins at Daytona starting from back of the grid

Mikey Taylor and Chris Taylor won the TCR class in the opening round of the IMSA Michelin Challenge at Daytona International Speedway. The pair shared the #17 JDC-Miller MotorSports Audi RS 3 LMS TCR, recovering in the race after the team had been unable to start the car for Thursday’s practice and qualifying sessions. 

After replacing multiple parts without success, they had to look for a new engine control unit, but the nearest one they could find was in Mexico. Arrangements were made for someone to fly with the part to Orlando early Friday morning and Taylor met them at the airport and raced back to Daytona.

“We were not doing the speed limit to get back here, and we just made it just in time. Miraculously, the car started because we had no idea that the parts we had would actually fix the issue. We were super lucky today and I’ve never seen anything like this in my career,” Taylor said.

Starting at the back of the TCR grid, Miller knew quickly he had a fast car and moved up to fourth in class less than a half-hour into the race. Taylor pushed the Audi into the lead for the first time just past the halfway point and wound up leading all but four of the final 53 laps. 

Taylor fended off challenges from Denis Dupont in the #76 Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N, Tom O’Gorman in the #5 Rockwell Autosport Audi and Mark Wilkins in the #98 BHA Hyundai. The margin of victory was 20.4 seconds over Dupont, Preston Brown and Nick Looijmans in the #76 Hyundai, but only because Dupont ran out of fuel coming to the finish line.

The Michelin Pilot Challenge returns to action March 15 at Sebring International Raceway.

Daytona – Race

1. C. Miller/M. Taylor (JDC-Miller MotorSports, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 110 laps

2. D. Dupont/P. Brown/N. Looijmans (Bryan Herta Autosport, Hyundai Elantra N), 20.408

3. M. Filippi/M. Wilkins (Bryan Herta Autosport, Hyundai Elantra N), 21.021

Championship points

1. C. Miller/M. Taylor, 300 pts; 2. D. Dupont/P. Brown/N. Looijmans, 320; 3. M. Filippi/M. Wilkins 300

Picture: IMSA/LAT Images