Written by Dan Jones
Jacob Abel will make the step up to IndyCar in 2025, as the Indy NXT vice-champion fills the No.51 Dale Coyne Racing entry for a full-season campaign, including that of the Indianapolis 500.
Abel, 23, makes the move up to IndyCar after three seasons in the premier support series in Indy NXT, where he impressed in 2024, taking three victories and a further seven podiums on his way to the runner-up spot in the standings, behind the dominant Louis Foster, who has since been confirmed for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
“It’s a lifelong dream come true… I can’t thank everyone who’s helped out along the way enough,” said Abel. “I’ve had a great relationship with Dale for the last couple of years, and I’m very thankful for the confidence he has in me. The team has some very experienced personnel joining and returning to the program, and I have full confidence they will deliver a great race car and help me learn the ropes of the NTT IndyCar Series. It’s going to be a fun but challenging journey, and I can’t wait to get started.”
For the first time in Abel's career, he will side away from his father's team, Abel Motorsports. Dale Coyne Racing will have a full-time driver for the first time since 2023, after the No.51 entry saw a multitude of drivers throughout the course of the 2024 season including Colin Braun, Luca Ghiotto, Nolan Siegel, Tristan Vautier, Katherine Legge and Toby Sowery all in the entry at some point.
We are excited about running another Indy NXT by Firestone Vice-Champion here at Dale Coyne Racing,” commented team owner Dale Coyne. “We have watched Jacob over the years and did an evaluation test with him at the end of the 2023 season, where he showed great promise in these cars. It will be good to run one driver in the #51 car for the whole season, so that we can work on the consistency needed in the highly competitive NTT IndyCar Series. Our plans for our second driver are coming along quite nicely, and we will have more news on that in approximately three weeks.”
Abel, from Louisville, Kentucky, is the third confirmed 2025 rookie alongside Indy NXT title rival, Louis Foster, and Robert Shwartzman who makes the switch over from Europe with IndyCar's latest outfit, PREMA. That will also include the Indianapolis 500.
Abel's first test with the team will take place at The Thermal Club at the end of the month, followed by the open test. Abel tested with the team at the conclusion of 2023 at Sebring International Raceway.
As mentioned by Coyne in his statement, his No.18 entry is the only one still to be decided ahead of the season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg on March 2nd. Toby Sowery and Hunter McElrea are believed to be contenders for the seat, but as has been the case in recent years, Coyne has been known to make left-field decisions.
It's a lifelong dream fulfilled for Jacob Abel, who will make the step up to IndyCar with Dale Coyne Racing for a full-time campaign in 2025.
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