LM24: Kettler set to miss race with Audi

Audi Sport's Brad Kettler, whose presence with the manufacturer's LMP1 team as an engineer and chief mechanic dates back to the program's formative stages, will miss the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans due to ongoing recovery from a road car accident.

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For North American fans following the 24 Hours at home, the Indiana native has long been one of the most popular elements within the Audi team as his technical and strategy insights have helped to bring readers and viewers inside the complex world of endurance racing. And with multiple wins at Le Mans, Kettler has also become one of the most distinguished U.S.-bred team members at the event, which makes his forced absence – after being hit from behind and breaking his sternum – even harder to accept.

"This is a really strange week for me. I'm really torn up over not being able to support my guys," Kettler told RACER. "That culture of support and being there for one another within Audi Sport is so powerful; it's who we are as a group, so it pains me to sit this one out. But I also know it's the right decision. I'm just not where I need to be physically, recovery-wise, to do all I'd need to do."

Barring the 2002 Le Mans race, where his portion of the Audi Sport North America deal fell through, this will be the first time Kettler will miss the great race in more than two decades.

Left: Kettler with Audi Sport Team Joest manager Ralf Juttner in 2007.

"This will be the first time I've really not been there since my first one in 1995," he said. "I love that place so much; we've had so many amazing times. We were just talking about our win in 2005 last night, and as soon as it came up, I was wanting to get back this year, so I'm just trying to keep myself busy, stay occupied, and not let it get to me."

Kettler, who also runs Audi's U.S. Customer Sport program from his base in Indiana, has turned his attention to a new project as a source of inspiration – and distraction – at a time where he is usually immersed in Audi's Le Mans program.

"My routine for years has been to go over before the Le Mans test day, help the team to prepare whatever is needed, do the test, stay and help prep for the race, do the race, and sometimes stay after to review and help with whatever afterwards," he explained. "It can be a month solid, maybe more, so without that, and my family has been suggesting I pick up something new, I've been preparing a drag race car for myself!

"It's a 1966 Chevy Malibu station wagon, has a big-block 487-cu. in. engine in it that I built. I've had that engine since about 1982 and I always kept it while I was waiting to find something to drop it in. So we're going to take it to a rolling dyno, get the thing tuned up, and we hope to get it out in on the drag strip in August. It was built in the 1970s as a proper NHRA drag car back then, so it's retro now and really cool and a lot of fun.

"I've needed something more to keep me in love with this sport, and it has taken me back to my roots as a Midwestern country boy. This recovery hasn't been easy, but having this project to take me away from things has been a really positive experience."