Bourdais, Barbosa & Duval Sign With JDC Miller

Mustang Sampling Racing will return to the DPi ranks of IMSA in 2020 (and 2021, as part of a two-year deal), but not with Action Express, instead with a JDC Miller-run Cadillac. This news brings also with it the reveal that Sebastien Bourdais, Joao Barbosa and Loic Duval (for the endurance races) have signed as drivers.

“We are honoured to have Mustang Sampling joining us and grateful for the confidence Brenda and Ken Thompson have placed in our team and organisation,” said John Church, managing partner of JDC-Miller MotorSports.

“Mustang Sampling Racing has achieved a tremendous amount in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. We look forward to carrying on the legacy of the #5 Mustang Sampling Racing entry and hope to add more wins and championships in the near future.”

For Bourdais, this full-season ride has been announced on the day that the four-time Champ Car champion was dropped from Dayle Coyne Racing’s IndyCar programme. The Frenchman, a regular with the Ford GTLM programme since 2016 (scoring class wins at both Le Mans and Daytona during his spell), returns to the top class of IMSA for the first time since the 2015 running Petit Le Mans when he drove with Action Express.

Meanwhile, IMSA veteran Barbosa meanwhile looked to be left without a drive when Action Express scaled back its IMSA effort to a single car. But the will return to the DPi ranks in a Mustang Sampling-liveried Cadillac.

“We are thrilled to continue our Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac Prototype program with our new partner JDC-Miller MotorSports in 2020,” said Mustang Sampling president Ken Thompson.

“Our first five years in IMSA with Action Express, Corvette, and Cadillac were great. Learning the sport and becoming a part of the IMSA family promoting sport car racing for all the great fans was fantastic and we are very thankful to all who guided us along the way. We had much success, enjoyed many wins and Championships during that time.

“Now with our partnership with JDC-Miller MotorSports we are confident this amazing run will continue and provide many future wins and Championships. Since joining the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship in 2014 JDC-Miller MotorSports has shown incredible growth and success in every category they have competed. We feel as a group we can be successful, both on and off the track, as we work together to develop new opportunities for Mustang Sampling and our fans.

“We are also extremely proud that along with this new venture we have added Christian Fittipaldi as an advisor and core part of the team, helping to ensure this continued success.”

This comes shortly after Stephen Simpson split from JDC Miller. Despite his departure, the team is still set to have a second Cadillac DPi on the grid next season.

“Our plans for the 2nd car are progressing well and we will be running it again this season,” said Church. “We have a couple very solid pieces in place and are currently in discussions with several additional drivers and partners. We hope we can make an announcement on who will drive for us in the JDC-Miller MotorSports #85 entry very soon.: