INDIANAPOLIS — In an exciting announcement, Dale Coyne Racing has officially named Jacob Abel as its full-time driver for the 2025 season. The announcement came on Monday, marking a significant step for Abel’s racing career.

At just 23 years old, Abel has made a name for himself over the last three years competing in the Indy NXT series, which is known as the top development platform for IndyCar. Last season was particularly impressive for Abel, as he secured three race victories and earned podium finishes in 10 out of 14 races, ultimately finishing second in the championship standings.

Abel’s progress has been commendable; he improved from an eighth-place finish in the standings during his rookie season to fifth place in 2022, and then to runner-up the following year. This steady ascent drew the attention of Dale Coyne, who invited Abel to partake in an evaluation day at the Sebring circuit last fall. Looking ahead, he is set to begin testing at the Thermal Club in California later this month. His highly anticipated IndyCar debut is scheduled for March 2 in St. Petersburg, Florida, during the season opener.

“I’ve developed a strong relationship with Dale over the last few years, and I’m genuinely grateful for the trust he has placed in me,” Abel expressed in a statement. “With a mix of both new and returning experienced personnel on the team, I am fully confident they will provide a competitive race car and guide me through the learning process. I expect this journey to be both challenging and enjoyable, and I eagerly look forward to getting started.”

Before joining Dale Coyne Racing, Abel’s racing journey included time spent in the Indy Pro 2000 series from 2019 to 2021, in addition to earlier experiences in the Formula 4 and Formula 3 circuits. Abel will take charge of the No. 51 car for Coyne, with team officials indicating that they are also close to announcing a full-time driver for the No. 18 car within the next three weeks. This effort aims to create more stability within the team after a tumultuous 2024 season, where multiple drivers cycled through the cars, leading to inconsistent performances.

“We have kept a close eye on Jacob’s progress over the years, especially during our evaluation test at the conclusion of the 2023 season, where he demonstrated significant potential with these vehicles,” Coyne remarked. “It’s important for us to run a single driver in the No. 51 car throughout the entire season, allowing us to build the consistency necessary in the highly competitive NTT IndyCar Series.”