The 2024 Indy NXT Vice Champion, Jacob Abel is making the step up for a full-time rookie campaign behind the wheel of Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 51 Honda-powered entry in the 2025 IndyCar Series' season. The Kentucky native takes over the role after having previously undergone an evaluation test with Coyne in 2023.
“We are excited about running another Indy NXT by Firestone Vice-Champion here at Dale Coyne Racing,” said 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 No. 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.”
The team’s No. 18 entry is the last remaining full-time seat that is currently unconfirmed.
Abel’s progression in the ladder series, particularly Indy NXT, has seen him evolve into a regular frontrunner. He finished eighth and fifth in 2022 and 2023 before a breakout campaign last year that saw him capture three wins and score 10 podiums in 14 rounds.
“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.”
