Portland, OR (August 13, 2026) – After a hard fought 35-laps of INDY NXT action around the Portland International Raceway, Abel Motorsports has scored their ninth top-five finish of the 2026 INDY NXT season.
Max Garcia feels that each weekend behind the wheel of the No. 12 Abel Motorsports machine is another weekend he and the team are growing stronger together. Garcia adds to his top-ten stat column scoring his eighth top-ten finish in INDY NXT competition.
“Portland was already filled with great memories for me, and we added to that this weekend. We had a solid car this weekend, and were able to get some good top-ten points. The team is getting stronger every weekend and I can’t wait to use all we have learned at the last few races,” said Max Garcia.
For Jacob Abel the return to the cockpit of the Dallara IL-15 was an unexpected opportunity that the Louisville Kentucky native made the most of. This marked the first time Abel was back in INDY NXT competition since the season ending race at Nashville Superspeedway in 2024.
“I had a blast jumping back in the INDY NXT car and being a driver for Abel Motorsports again. The guys on this team always make it an enjoyable experience and this was no different. We had an incredibly strong car but with how tight Portland is and how difficult it is to pull off a pass, we just couldn’t get by anyone and had to settle for fifth,” said Jacob Abel.
Colin Kaminsky’s weekend in the Pacific Northwest didn’t get started the way he had hoped as the veteran battled some early handling issues. Sticking with it and working closely with engineer Ryan Moran, Kaminsky continued to chip away at the setup until he got the car in his desired window.
“Our trip out to Portland was a weekend of constant improvement. We started well off the pace after the first practice, but were able to close the gap every session. We ended up .3 tenths of a second off of our teammates, but with such a tight field that still was only good enough for 18th in qualifying. A little more elbows out racing and I would have been in the top-ten in the race, but I settled for 12th in the end. Onto Milwaukee!” said Colin Kaminsky.
Veteran Myles Rowe was looking to add to his podium finishes in the Pacific Northwest, but unfortunately for the Georgia native contact from other competitors drastically altered those plans.
“Portland was tough to swallow, we had a fast car but unfortunately some unavoidable contact meant we were driving from behind for most of the race. Not the weekend we wanted or needed but the 99 group will continue to work and continue to push forward. Really looking forward to finishing off the year as strong as possible over these next three races,” said Myles Rowe.
A couple of weeks off is all that stands between Abel Motorsports and the final three races of the 2026 INDY NXT Championship. The team returns to action on Sunday August 30th for 90 laps of racing around the legendary Milwaukee Mile. Keep up to date with all things Abel Motorsports by following the team on social media, @abelmotorsports or by visiting www.abelmotorsports.com
About Abel Motorsports: Abel Motorsports Team Principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family motorsports tradition. In 2015, Abel Motorsports was launched starting in the USF2000 series and building their way up the junior open-wheel ladder. Abel Motorsports was able to capture the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood.
Today, Abel Motorsports is a leading force in the INDY NXT by Firestone Championship, the official development series of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, where the team operates as a multi-car organization focused on the future. 2024 was a breakout season for Abel Motorsports scoring three wins, three pole positions, and 12 podiums on their way to second in the entrant championship.