Laurin Heinrich clears path for full IMSA campaign at Watkins Glen

It is a massive relief for championship contenders: Laurin Heinrich is heading to the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen after all. A clash with the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa initially threatened his 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign, but a seat swap at Schumacher CLRT—where Frederic Makowiecki will step into the No. 22 Porsche 911 GT3 R—has cleared the way.

This is a huge development for the No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 crew. Heinrich, who currently sits 2nd in the Driver’s Championship, will line up alongside teammates Tijmen van der Helm and Kaylen Frederick. JDC-Miller Managing Partner John Church noted the team’s excitement, emphasizing that Heinrich’s "can-do" attitude has already made the squad stronger.

Heinrich, the reigning IMSA GTD-Pro class champion, clearly has the momentum. With wins at Daytona, Sebring, and Laguna Seca already under his belt this season, keeping him in the car for Watkins Glen is a serious statement of intent. The championship battle is tight, with Porsche currently trailing the top manufacturer position by only 25 points.