Jacob Abel will race full-time in IndyCar this season after being hired for Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 51 car, while former DCR driver David Malukas has been named as the driver for A.J. Foyt’s No. 4 Chevrolet.
Abel, 23, has spent the past three seasons on the developmental Indy NXT circuit. After finishing eighth in the points standings as a rookie and fifth in 2023, Abel won three races and had 10 podium finishes in 14 events to finish second last year.
“It’s a lifelong dream come true,” Abel said. “I can’t thank everyone who’s helped out along the way enough. 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. It’s going to be a fun but challenging journey, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Abel, who is from Kentucky, began his professional career on the Formula 3 and 4 circuits before moving to the Indy Pro 2000 series from 2019-21. He first tested with DCR in the Fall of 2023 at Sebring International Raceway.
“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,” Coyne said. “It will be good to run one driver in the No. 51 car for the whole season, so we can work on the consistency needed in the highly competitive NTT IndyCar Series.”
Coyne said he hopes to name the driver for his No. 18 car in “approximately” three weeks. It is the lone remaining open seat on the series grid ahead of the March 2 season opener at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Malukas, 23, earned the seat in the No. 4 after racing a partial season for Meyer Shank Racing last year. Returning in June following wrist surgery, he earned a pair of top-10 finishes in 10 starts.
Racing for DCR and HMD Motorsports from 2022-23, Malukas recorded a pair of top-3 finishes. He will drive alongside Santino Ferrucci for A.J. Foyt.
–Field Level Media
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