Jacob Abel, Louisville native, set for Indy 500 debut with family team
Louisville native Jacob Abel will make his debut in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24, driving for his family team, Abel Motorsports.
The 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, May 24, with 33 drivers competing in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. ” Among the field is Louisville native Jacob Abel , who will make his first career start in the iconic event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway . The 25-year-old rookie will start 30th in the No.
51 Chevrolet for Abel Motorsports , the family-owned team led by his father, Bill Abel. He finished 32nd in qualifying with an average speed of 228. 169 mph during his final four-lap run but moved up after two cars failed post-session inspections.
Abel will start on the outside of Row 10. The Trinity High School graduate made his IndyCar Series debut in 2025 with Dale Coyne Racing, posting a career-best finish of 11th at Iowa Speedway during his rookie campaign. Before reaching IndyCar, Abel spent years climbing the INDYCAR development ladder, competing in USF2000, Indy Pro 2000 and Indy NXT.
His breakout season came in 2024, when he finished second in the Indy NXT by Firestone championship. Driving for Abel Motorsports, he earned three victories and three pole positions while establishing himself as one of the top young American open-wheel drivers. Now, after years of working through the junior ranks and narrowly missing the field in Indianapolis a season ago, Abel will officially make his Indy 500 debut in front of the largest crowd in American motorsports.