By: Spencer Neff
April 15, 2023

Next month, qualifying for the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbrdge will have added significance.

Friday afternoon, INDY NXT’s Abel Motorsports confirmed plans to enter a car for the May 28 event. The organization announced RC Enerson will pilot the Chevrolet-powered entry.

Plans are still in the works for Enerson and the Abel Motorsports team to participate in the open test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday and Friday.

“Our team is excited to be an entry in the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 with RC Enerson as our driver,” team owner Bill Abel expressed on Friday.

Abel’s son Jacob drives for their INDY NXT program.

“We are fortunate to have great people on our race team that make things like this possible. I know that (team manager) John (Brunner) and everyone on the team has been working hard to prepare for this opportunity. We will take it one step at a time, laser-focused on preparing.”

“I’ve had a long- standing relationship with RC and the Enerson Family for more than a decade,” explained Brunner.

“I am confident in RC’s ability and know we can give him a competitive car. The team has done a great job for months preparing the primary 500 car while not losing focus on our INDY NXT programs. We look forward to testing to be fully prepared on May 16th for the opening day of Indy 500 practice. Thanks to INDYCAR and Chevrolet for their efforts.”

Enerson, a native of New Port Richey, Florida, previously attempted the 2021 Indianapolis 500 with Top Gun Racing but did not qualify. That was also the last time bumping was featured during qualifying.

In his career, the 2014 Mid-Ohio Race 1 INDY NXT (formerly Indy Lights) winner has made four INDYCAR starts from 2016-2021. In 2016, he earned a best start of 11th and finish of ninth at Watkins Glen International while driving for Dale Coyne Racing.

Enerson’s last race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES was the 2021 Summer race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 14. In that event, he and Top Gun Racing qualified 25th and finished 28th after clutch issues knocked them out after 12 of 75 laps.

“I can’t thank Bill and John enough for this opportunity to be back at the 500, said Enerson .

“This entry has been a work in progress for many months now. This Abel Motorsports crew is top-notch and loaded with experience. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of an IndyCar at IMS.”

If Enerson qualifies for the race, it will be his first Indianapolis 500 and his first INDYCAR start on an oval. All five of his previous starts were on natural terrain road courses with DCR, Top Gun or Carlin Racing.

2023 will mark the sixth of 12 years since the introduction of the Dallara DW-12 chassis that more than 33 cars are entered for the Indianapolis 500.

The last time 34 entries took part was in 2015, when 1996 winner Buddy Lazier did not qualify.

Header Image By Travis Hinkle/INDYCAR