Ahead of the 2024 season, we wanted to sit down with key personnel at ABEL Motorsports to get their story about what makes ABEL great and their thoughts about the future of the team.
Q: You joined ABEL Motorsports in 2020, and in just 3 years have taken the team from a single entry in the USF Pro 2000 ranks, all the way to a multi-car effort in the INDY NXT by Firestone series as well as an entry into the 2023 Indianapolis 500. Did you plan for or expect this rapid growth?
JB: I wasn’t expecting this growth quite this quickly, but I was brought to ABEL to help build the foundation for ABEL Motorsports next level of competition. In 2021 we ran one car in USF Pro 2000, but we were also focused on planning and putting together our INDY NXT program for 2022. The 2023 Indy 500 was not in our plans at all, but the opportunity presented itself and we felt we had the right people in house and a good partner in Neil and RC Enerson to accomplish our goal of qualifying for the race.
Q: You are no stranger to joining smaller, younger teams, and turning them into quality race winning organizations. What keeps the fire burning for you with ABEL Motorsports to keep pushing and reaching for new challenges?
JB: ABEL Motorsports/ABEL Construction is a great company to work for and that makes it very easy to stay motivated. Just as the construction company is always focusing on the future, we are able to work and plan our motorsports future as well. The day-to-day is pretty simple as long as I did my work yesterday and the days before that. My job is to try and stay ahead of the team with planning our future whether it be next week’s test, race, or even next year’s Indianapolis 500.
Q: Running one INDY NXT team and car is incredibly hard. How do you successfully manage multiple at one time and making sure that everything gets done the ABEL way?
JB: Employing the right people and then letting them do their job is key for me. I’ve always tried to surround myself with people smarter than me and then let them do their job.
Q: You have worked with many engineers, mechanics etc. – at ABEL there are some team members with years of experience, and some with very little. What feeling do you get when you see the more experienced crew members guiding the younger team members, and then in turn seeing the younger members grow in their experience and confidence?
JB: This is one of the best parts of motorsports. I’m very lucky to have some guys that have been with me for over 10 years and some with over 25 years of experience and to see them work and teach the younger guys our ways and beliefs is very fulfilling.
Q: As you look ahead to 2024 and beyond, what are your hopes for the team? Where do you see the team headed in the coming years.
JB: The team has really made great progress, especially last year in 2023, but it’s time for us to go wins races and compete for a championship in 2024.
Abel Motorsports including team Principal, Bill Abel, has been competing since 1972. ABEL Motorsports is now on to the third generation with Jacob Abel being the flagship driver for the team. The team was able to capture the inaugural F3 Americas Championship in 2018, and currently competes in the freshly rebranded INDY NXT by Firestone series, the official development series for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, as well as the team’s first entry into the Indianapolis 500 with driver RC Enerson. For more information visit the official team website at: www.abelmotorsports.com