INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WDRB) — Only one driver from Louisville has ever won the Indianapolis 500: Danny Sullivan, who famously spun out coming out of Turn One and still managed to win the 1985 race in what's known as the "Spin and Win."
This year, another Louisville driver hoped to make his own mark on the Brickyard.
Jacob Abel, a Trinity High School graduate from the Class of 2019, set out to qualify for his first Indianapolis 500. The 23-year-old is the first Kentucky-born IndyCar driver since Sullivan to take a shot at the legendary race.
“There’s nothing like it,” Abel said. “Every second you get on the track is precious.”
WDRB caught up with Abel ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix, a road course race that kicks off the month of May in Indianapolis.
“This is my rookie year in IndyCar,” he said. “The Grand Prix is different — it’s only a two-day event, and we run the opposite direction on the track. But it helps get everyone moved in and ready for what’s next.”
Abel drives for Dale Coyne Racing and Abel Motorsports — the latter founded by his father, Bill Abel. The family name might ring a bell in Louisville. Abel Construction has worked on projects for Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health, Ford Motor Company, Heaven Hill and Jim Beam.
Despite a strong support system and a well-funded team, Abel faced early setbacks. In the 85-lap Grand Prix, mechanical issues forced him to pull out after 67 laps.
With the Grand Prix behind him, Abel and his team turned their attention to the big one — the Indy 500.
“Last month’s open test was my first time on the oval,” Abel said. “It was surreal. I’ve been here hundreds of times as a fan and as a driver in the junior series. To finally be on the track for real — it’s special.”
His No. 50 car was a tribute to Danny Sullivan and that historic 1985 win.
But in the end, Abel's Indy 500 dreams would have to wait. His teammate, Rinus VeeKay, qualified one mile per hour faster — enough to edge Abel out of the starting grid.
While Abel didn’t make the field for this year’s race, his presence in the paddock marks a resurgence of Kentucky talent at the Speedway — and hints at a future where another Louisville native could drink the milk in Victory Lane.
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