INDIANAPOLIS — After bumping their way into the field of 33 during last year's Indianapolis 500, Abel Motorsports announced Friday they will not enter a car during this year's race.
According to a statement from the team given to 13News, the decision comes as a result of two factors: the timing of parts arriving for their car and funding falling through.
During IndyCar content day in January, RC Enerson told the media he was planning to return to the Indianapolis 500 with Abel Motorsports, but it all depended on whether or not funding for the entry could be secured.
Without a full-time team in IndyCar, Enerson made a return to NASCAR racing for the first time since 2021 during March's Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas where he finished 28th driving for SS-GreenLight Racing.
Team owner Bill Abel said in a statement that running the race was "ultimately just not in the cards for us this year."
Abel did add that despite the team's decision not to compete in the "500," the door was open for the team to possibly enter other IndyCar races later in the season.
"We will be back next year making a run for it, and possibly even later this year," said Abel in a statement. "But absolutely the plan and the goal is for Abel Motorsports to be back for the 109th Indianapolis 500.”
The tentative entry list for the Indianapolis 500 now stands at just 34 cars, meaning only one car is at risk of being bumped during qualifications.
Without Abel Motorsports' entry, 2024 marks the third year in a row to have 34 cars or less enter the "500." The last time more than 34 cars entered the race was in 2021, when the entry list featured 35 cars. Ironically, Enerson, who was driving for Top Gun Racing at the time, was one of the two drivers to fail to qualify for the 2021 race, with the other being Charlie Kimball.
The 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, May 26.
