Abel to Sub for Kingsley in Compass Acura at Laguna Seca

Photo: Compass Racing

Honda Performance Development GT3 Academy graduate Jacob Abel will make his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut as a substitute for Jeff Kingsley at Compass Racing in this weekend’s round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 20-year-old will join HPD factory driver Mario Farnbacher at the wheel of the team’s Acura NSX GT3 Evo for Sunday’s two-hour and 40-minute race.

Abel, who took part in HPD’s GT3 Driver Academy last year, has been in Racers Edge Motorsports’ lineup in Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS competition this season, sharing an Acura with Taylor Hagler and Dakota Dickerson.

“I’m grateful to HPD and Compass Racing for the opportunity to join Mario at Laguna,” said Abel. “Building on all I learned with the NSX in the Academy last season, and my World Challenge races this season is something I’ve been working towards.”

Team owner Jill Beck added: “We’re so pleased to welcome Jacob to Compass Racing, and are excited to have him drive with Mario at Laguna Seca, a track that traditionally has suited the NSX.

“Laguna Seca and Long Beach are ‘home races’ for us, and we could not be more thrilled with our driver line-up for this round.”

It’s unclear if Kingsley will return to the team for the following round at Long Beach later this month.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John