The motorsport mechanic with a fix on winning

Kaitlyn Klahn on the nuts and bolts of a high-intensity job

December 10, 2024

Racing is all about making adjustments. The best-laid plans can go south in an instant if just one part malfunctions. And cars as advanced as these have a lot of parts.

Kaitlyn Klahn’s job is to be on top of every possibility. She’s a mechanic and driver helper for the highly successful Porsche Penske Motorsport IMSA team.

In the latest installment of “Driven: The Team Behind the Triumphs”, we talked to Kaitlyn about her job, the high-tech nature of the cars, and how she handles pressure.

Tell us how you got your start.

I grew up watching racing. It was just one of those big dreams. I’d think like, it would be crazy to work on that car. I guess I just kind of came around to, maybe I could do that. So I went to school and then came here, worked my way up from tires and body work and all the little jobs to being the front-end mechanic.

What does your job entail?

I am responsible for the entire front end and interior of the Porsche 963 #6 car. That includes both front axles and every control module that makes the car run, and the fuel cell. A lot to keep track of.

These machines are another level technologically, wouldn’t you say?

For sure. Being a mechanic on one of these cars really means that you’re not only a nuts and bolts person, you’re also a wiring person. You’re an innovator because these cars are prototypes, so there’s not really another car we can look to and say, “this is what they do or how they do it”. We have to figure everything out. And on race day, you are either prepared or you are not. And you are about to find out.

The race is a pressure-cooker, right?

Absolutely. Especially the longer races, because you just have so much time, whether it’s a 6, 10, 12, 24-hour race. Everybody’s in the same mindset of, we have a lot of hours here, just make sure you do good work. And then from there, it just kind of builds and builds and then the end of the race is what will determine how you finish as a team. Because if your team can’t keep it together, you’re done.

Watch this space for more profiles from the series. And see the latest IMSA TV schedule here.

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