Strong Debut for Kaylen Frederick at the Rolex 24 at Daytona!!

46 Laps led. 6-1/2 hours under full course yellow. 70 seconds from the win at Daytona.

Kaylen Frederick, Nico Pino, and Tijmen van der Helm, delivered a composed, competitive run for the No. 85 Porsche 963 and JDC Miller Motorsports. Debris damage to the car’s floor limited a late race charge, resulting in a hard fought seventh-place finish on the lead lap at the Rolex 24.

Not your average workday. This is endurance racing.

Strong Pace and Execution in Rolex 24 Debut!!!

Kaylen Frederick completed an impressive debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, competing in the GTP class at the opening round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Driving the No. 83 Porsche 963 for JDC-Miller MotorSports, Frederick stepped into both top-level prototype competition and 24-hour endurance racing for the first time. Despite being one of the least experienced endurance drivers in the GTP field, Frederick delivered a composed and competitive performance throughout the event, demonstrating speed, adaptability, and race intelligence in one of the most demanding races in global motorsport.

Qualifying | January 23/Thursday

Qualifying pace for the No. 83 Porsche 963 was immediately evident, with teammate Nico Pino delivering a strong performance in a highly competitive GTP field. On his first flying lap, Pino was on track for a top-four qualifying result—and potentially higher—before encountering traffic that compromised the lap.

Undeterred, Pino reset and delivered a second push lap, navigating additional traffic in the braking zone into Turn 6. Despite the challenges, the lap stood as the team’s fastest of the session, securing seventh position on the grid and confirming the car’s underlying pace heading into race day.

The Green Flag Drops: Early Pace and Race Execution

The No. 83 Porsche showed strong pace from the outset of the weekend. The JDC-Miller MotorSports crew delivered a well-balanced car in practice and qualifying, securing seventh position on the grid among a highly competitive GTP field.

Frederick took over driving duties early in the race for a planned double stint, rejoining in 11th position. Over the course of his opening stint, he made steady progress through the field, climbing to fourth place while managing tire wear, fuel consumption, and heavy multi-class traffic. His pace during this phase was on par with more experienced endurance competitors, underlining a smooth transition to prototype racing.

Adversity and Adaptation

Debris from another incident damaged the car’s floor. While the Porsche 963 remained operational during Frederick’s second stint, the damage affected aerodynamic performance for the remainder of the race. The JDC-Miller team worked efficiently during pit stops to mitigate the issue, but the early-race pace proved difficult to recover and limited a late-race charge. From that point forward, the team shifted focus toward maximizing consistency, minimizing risk, and ensuring a strong finish.

Endurance Conditions and Final Result

Overnight running at Daytona presented additional challenges, as dense fog led to an extended full-course yellow period lasting six and a half hours. The prolonged neutralization tested teams’ strategic flexibility and driver concentration, providing valuable endurance racing experience for Frederick in his first 24-hour event. Frederick returned to the car for his final stint on fresh tires, delivering clean and controlled laps before handing the Porsche back to his teammates in strong condition for the run to the finish.

The No. 83 Porsche 963 completed the race in seventh position in the GTP class, finishing on the lead lap—a notable achievement in a 24-hour race.

Building Momentum

Frederick’s Rolex 24 debut marked a significant milestone in his racing career, highlighting his ability to adapt quickly to the technical and strategic demands of endurance racing at the highest level, and driving a Porsche 963. The weekend provided a strong foundation as he continues his transition from open-wheel competition to prototype racing.

With continued support from Pilot ONE Racing and EDGE Sporting Management, and alongside the experienced JDC-Miller MotorSports team, Frederick now turns his attention to upcoming testing at Sebring and the next round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.

Refelcting on the Weekend (Kaylen):

“I absolutely loved the event, and I’m really pleased to have my first Daytona 24 Hours under my belt. There was more potential at the weekend than the result shows, and we will dial it in for the races ahead. The team did an amazing job, and the Porsche 963 is a dream to drive, and I learned a huge amount from the experience. I’m really looking forward to the Sebring test and the Twelve Hours of Sebring race coming up soon.”

Race Summary

Event: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – Round 1
Race: Rolex 24 at Daytona
Car: No. 83 Porsche 963 – JDC-Miller MotorSports
Qualifying: P7 – GTP
Race Result: P7 – GTP (Finished on the Lead Lap)

Next Up: Sebring 12 Hours

Please watch these pages for updates around the mid-February test and the Sebring 12 Hours in March 18-21!

About Kaylen Frederick
For more information visit:
https://KaylenFrederick.com/

About Pilot ONE Racing
Pilot ONE Racing supports and assists young race drivers in developing professional driving careers, seeking funding, and reaching the highest level of motorsports in both the USA and Europe.

Interested in working with Kaylen?
https://kaylenfrederick.com/sponsorships-partnerships/