EDGE Sporting Management driver Kaylen Frederick celebrated a superb second-place finish at the latest round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, producing another standout result in the fiercely competitive GTP category at Road America. Driving the No. 5 JDC Miller MotorSports Porsche 963, Frederick and the team overcame a difficult start to the weekend, early race setbacks and one of the most chaotic races of the season to secure a remarkable podium finish, which was ultimately elevated to second place after a post-race penalty for a rival.
Frederick returned to the Porsche customer team fresh from claiming his first GTP podium with JDC Miller MotorSports at the previous round at Watkins Glen, where he finished third. Confidence was high heading into Road America, but the challenge remained immense against a field packed with manufacturer-backed factory teams and some of the world’s leading endurance drivers.
The team’s original plan had been for Frederick to complete the majority of his preparation during the second free practice session. However, with heavy rain accurately forecast, JDC Miller MotorSports elected to sit out the wet FP2 session, leaving the EDGE Sporting Management driver with just a handful of laps at the end of FP1 before heading into qualifying.
With so little track time, Frederick was immediately thrown into the deep end. Combined with changing circuit conditions compared to pre-event testing and a car balance that still required refinement, qualifying proved difficult, with the No. 5 Porsche lining up towards the rear of the ultra-competitive GTP field.
That left expectations relatively modest heading into the race, but endurance racing once again demonstrated just how quickly fortunes can change.
Widely described as one of the most frantic IMSA races in recent memory, the event featured no fewer than nine full-course caution periods as incidents unfolded across the multiple classes. Although the No. 5 Porsche avoided direct contact, its race was far from straightforward after a pair of pit lane infringements resulted in drive-through penalties, seemingly putting any hopes of a strong finish out of reach.
Rather than allowing the setbacks to define their afternoon, Frederick and the JDC Miller MotorSports team remained composed. Clever strategy following the early penalties placed the Porsche on an alternative sequence to many of its rivals, allowing the team to capitalise as the race continued to unfold.
With just two hours remaining, the No. 5 Porsche was running tenth in class. However, a combination of further incidents, damaged rivals, perfectly timed caution periods and flawless execution from the team steadily elevated Frederick and his co-driver through the order. Crucially, they avoided the misfortune that caught out many of the leading contenders while continuing to maximise every opportunity that came their way.
The No. 5 Porsche crossed the finish line in third place, already marking another outstanding podium result. Shortly after the chequered flag, however, a post-race penalty for a rival promoted Frederick and JDC Miller MotorSports to second position, securing back-to-back GTP podium finishes and finishing as the highest-placed Porsche in the field.
Reflecting on the weekend, Frederick admitted that fortune had smiled on the team but praised the flawless execution that allowed them to capitalise when opportunities arose.
“There is always an element of luck in endurance racing, and this weekend it certainly went our way,” said Frederick. “We know there’s still more performance to unlock from the car, both in terms of balance and extracting the maximum from the package, but the team did an outstanding job with the strategy and execution. To come away with another podium, especially second place in such a competitive field, is a fantastic result for everyone involved.”
The impressive finish continues Frederick’s excellent start with JDC Miller MotorSports and further underlines both his growing reputation in IMSA’s premier GTP category and EDGE Sporting Management’s continued success in placing its drivers at the sharp end of international sports car racing.
Results: Q11 / Race – P2