First Year Indy 500 Team Successfully Navigates “Carb Day” Final Practice

The on-track preparations for Sunday’s 107th Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge are nearly complete, now that final Carb Day practice is over.  Now, for rookie Indy 500 team ABEL Motorsports and their first-year driver RC Enerson, it’s time to relax a bit, make final adjustments, and get plenty of rest before the green flag falls at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Enerson, 26, from New Port Richey, FL, is excited to be making his inaugural start in this year’s 500.   Enerson notched 63 laps during the two-hour Carb Day practice, recording the 27th best lap of the session at 223.814 MPH.   Enerson starts 29thSunday.   He’s enjoying his first 500 experience and anticipates surprising many observers once the green flag falls.  “Today was great.  We’re getting better and better in traffic.  The car is really good; I just need to keep improving during the race.  The challenge is to find clean air and not make mistakes.  I’m liking the learning curve.  Today was easier than Monday, which was better than (last) Saturday.  Now we need to build on all that and put together a great run in the 500.”

Team Manager John Brunner has seen many 500s with several teams.  He’s excited to see all the hard work put in by so many ABEL Motorsports crew members pay off on Sunday.  “Today went pretty well.   We ran through a few sets of tires, practiced a few hot pit stops, we worked on running in traffic and I think we’ve gotten the car ready for Sunday.   Now we’ll take another good look at the car.   We’ll check all the systems and make sure we’re ready for race day.   We want to make sure everybody’s rested.  RC and the car have worked together so well.  It’s hard to believe he hasn’t been in an IndyCar since 2021.   When we ask him for changes in the car he’s able to use his tools really well.  He’s really comfortable in the cockpit and that’s a great thing.”

Team Principal Bill Abel is looking forward to his team’s first IndyCar start Sunday in the world’s biggest race.   “This has been an amazing experience from the start for us.   Coming back to the garage today in Gasoline Alley, to see all the fans here, it’s tremendously exciting.   It’s a fantastic experience.   We can’t wait to put the car on the grid Sunday and see how we measure up.  It’s going to be a great day for our whole ABEL Motorsports team.”

Next up for RC Enerson and the ABEL squad will be Saturday’s Legends Day activities, the public Driver’s Meeting, and the 500 Festival Parade, all setting the stage for Sunday’s 107th Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge.  The green flag will fall at 12:45 PM ET.   Coverage is live on NBC TV, Peacock, and the IMS Radio Network.

Abel Motorsports PR