Jacob_Abel_(racing_driver)

Jacob Abel (racing driver)

Jacob Abel (racing driver)

American racing driver (born 2001)

Jacob Abel (born March 9, 2001) is an American racing driver who currently competes in Indy NXT for Abel Motorsports.[1] He previously competed in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship for Abel Motorsports.[2]

Quick Facts Nationality, Born ...

Career

Lower formulae

Abel began his senior racing career in 2017 at the age of 16, competing in the F4 United States Championship with Abel Motorsports.[3] The following season, Abel stepped back to a partial-season schedule in both the F4 United States Championship[4] and the new-for-2018 F3 Americas Championship.[5] Abel would score four podiums in his opening season in F3, en route to a fourth place championship finish. He took his first win in the series early the following season, scoring back-to-back victories at Road Atlanta.[6]

In 2023, Abel stepped outside of North America for the first time in his racing career, taking part in the 2023 Formula Regional Oceania Championship with Kiwi Motorsport.[7][8] He claimed four podium finishes, completing the season with a third-place championship finish. He returned to the series in 2024, making his first appearance during Round 4 at Euromarque Motorsport Park.[9]

Road to Indy

Abel made his Road to Indy debut in July 2017 at Mid-Ohio, driving for Newman Wachs Racing.[10] After a part-time schedule in the series for 2018, Abel stepped up to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship in 2019.[11] His opening season in the championship was quiet, as he finished 9th overall with no podiums and two top fives. He would compete in just seven races in 2020 to supplement a full-season drive in the Formula Regional Americas Championship, scoring his first Indy Pro 2000 podium at Mid-Ohio that September. For 2021, Abel committed to a full-time schedule in Indy Pro 2000.[12] Claiming two podiums, one each at Road America and Mid-Ohio, Abel finished his first full season sixth in the standings. For 2022, Abel stepped up to Indy Lights, once again with Abel Motorsports.[13] He finished eighth in the championship during his rookie season, finishing as high as fourth at Portland and Laguna Seca. For 2023, Abel returned to the series.[1] He scored his first series podium in the opening race of the season at St. Petersburg, leading 27 of 40 laps before dropping to third on a late restart.[14] He would finish a season-high second at Road America and Iowa (where he claimed pole[15]), finishing fifth in the championship. In November 2023, Abel embarked on an IndyCar test with Dale Coyne Racing.[16]

Abel and his family's team returned for his third year in the series in 2024.[17] Following a second place at the season-opener in St. Petersburg, Abel took pole at Barber, from where he led every lap to take his first victory in the category.[18][19]

Sports cars

In March 2021, Abel was announced as part of HPD's 2021 Junior Factory Lineup.[20] As a result, Abel would compete part-time with Racers Edge Motorsports in the GT World Challenge America.[21] Later that season, Abel joined Compass Racing for the IMSA SportsCar Championship event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, substituting for Jeff Kingsley.[22][23] The following weekend, Abel scored his first class victory in GT3 machinery in race #1 of the GT World Challenge America event at Watkins Glen.[24]

Stadium Super Trucks

In August 2021, Abel made his Stadium Super Trucks debut at the Music City Grand Prix, where he drove a truck sponsored by Crosley Brands.[25] He finished runner-up in the second and final race of the weekend.[26]

Personal life

A graduate of Trinity High School in Louisville,[27] Abel attended college part-time at Butler University while pursuing his racing career.[28] A marketing major, Abel stated that his education helped him understand the financial and business aspects of motorsports.[29]

Racing record

Career summary

More information Season, Series ...

* Season still in progress.

American open–wheel racing results

U.S. F2000 National Championship

More information Year, Team ...

Indy Pro 2000 Championship

More information Year, Team ...

Indy NXT

More information Year, Team ...

* Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

More information Year, Team ...

Stadium Super Trucks

(key) (Bold – Pole position. Italics – Fastest qualifier. * – Most laps led.)

More information Stadium Super Trucks results, Year ...

Complete Formula Regional Oceania Championship Results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

More information Year, Team ...

References

  1. [1]
    DeHarde, Christopher (October 24, 2022). "Jacob Abel Returns to Indy Lights in 2023 with Abel Motorsports". Toby Christie. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Jacob Abel". indycar.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  3. [3]
    "IndyCar Connection Runs Deep In New F4 U.S. Championship Team". f4uschampionship.com. March 23, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  4. [4]
    "Early Season F4 U.S. Entries Surpass Expectations; Abel Motorsports Confirms 2018 Roster". f4uschampionship.com. February 23, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  5. [5]
    "Dominant F3 Team Expands, Seeks Seventh Straight Win". framericas.com. September 10, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  6. [6]
    Wood, Ida (April 21, 2019). "Jacob Abel floats to F3 Americas success at Road Atlanta". formulascout.com. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  7. [7]
    "Indy Nxt racer more than Abel to succeed in Formula Regional Oceania". Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand. January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  8. [8]
    Wood, Ida (January 4, 2023). "Indy Nxt's Jacob Abel to do FRegional Oceania". Formula Scout. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  9. [9]
    "Battle between the aces on the cards for Christchurch". Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand. February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024. Jacob Abel... makes a welcome return to New Zealand for the final two rounds of 2024...
  10. [10]
    "NEWMAN WACHS RACING ADDS ABEL TO MID-OHIO LINEUP". usf2000.com. July 21, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  11. [11]
    "ABEL MOTORSPORTS TO JOIN THE ROAD TO INDY IN 2019". indypro2000.com. November 7, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  12. [12]
    Wood, Ida (January 9, 2021). "Jacob Abel commits to a full-time season in Indy Pro 2000". formulascout.com. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  13. [13]
    "Jacob Abel, Abel Motorsports advance to Indy Lights". racer.com. December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  14. [14]
    Malsher-Lopez, David (March 5, 2023). "St. Pete Indy NXT: Frost snatches great opportunist win". Motorsport.com. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  15. [15]
    Waring, Bethonie (July 22, 2023). "Abel takes maiden pole in Indy Nxt's first oval qualifying of 2023". Formula Scout. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  16. [16]
    Pruett, Marshall (November 3, 2023). "Abel looks ahead to IndyCar test debut with Coyne". Racer. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  17. [17]
    Barnes, Joey (November 10, 2023). "Jacob Abel back with family team for 2024 Indy NXT campaign". Motorsport.com. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  18. [18]
    "Abel Earns First Career Victory after Perfect Weekend - Speedway Digest - Home for NASCAR News". 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  19. [19]
    "Abel completes perfect weekend, dominating Indy NXT at Barber". RACER. 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  20. [20]
    "Honda Performance Development Announces 2021 HPD Factory Driver Lineup". hondanews.com. March 2, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  21. [21]
    "HPD GT3 Academy Graduates in Racers Edge Acura". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. February 9, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  22. [22]
    "Abel to Sub for Kingsley in Compass Acura at Laguna Seca". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  23. [23]
    "Abel gets Acura Monterey call-up by Compass". racer.com. September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  24. [24]
    Dagys, John (September 18, 2021). "Pepper, Caldarelli Dominate Race 1 at The Glen". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved December 5, 2021. Abel held off a hard-charging Matt McMurry for his first sports car racing victory after Hagler scored top class honors at Road America with Dakota Dickerson.
  25. [25]
    Nguyen, Justin (August 4, 2021). "Jacob Abel to make SST debut at Nashville for Crosley". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  26. [26]
    Organ, Mike (August 8, 2021). "Marcus Ericsson wins IndyCar Music City Grand Prix". The Tennessean. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  27. [27]
    Chernoff, Andrew (August 9, 2022). "Racing is a family affair for driver Jacob Abel". WLKY. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  28. [28]
    Cavin, Curt (September 8, 2022). "Abel Works Hard to Balance Books, Blossoming Racing Career". IndyCar. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  29. [29]
    Horrall, Zach (December 13, 2021). "Abel Gets Down to Business with Dual Roles as Driver, Student". IndyCar. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  30. [30]
    "2021 Overall Point Standings". Stadium Super Trucks. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
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