Jacob Abel makes feelings crystal clear about Team Penske’s Indy 500 controversy

Jacob Abel of Dale Coyne Racing was left contemplating a missed opportunity following the disqualification of two Team Penske entries due to technical infractions. He subsequently offered a candid response regarding the controversy.

Following the discovery of altered attenuators on Team Penske’s No. 2 and No. 12 entries before Sunday’s Top 12 qualifying session and after additional evaluation by NTT INDYCAR Series officials Josef Newgarden and Will Power have been penalized and will now start from the 32nd and 33rd positions, respectively, in the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, presented by Gainbridge.

This sparked the debate over whether Jacob Abel, the only driver unable to make it for the Indy 500 race after finishing last in the last chance qualifiers, deserved to be on the grid instead of the Penske cars. Speaking to IndyCar broadcaster Townsend Bell, along with James Hinchcliffe and Will Buxton, Jacob Abel shed some light on the dilemma. Answering if he feels he should be in the race, considering Team Penske's illegalities, he said,

"Yes, and No. I do see all the comments. I do appreciate everyone's support and everything, saying that we should be in the race because we're legal and all that. I do appreciate that but at the end of the day we knew what we needed to do on Saturday and we knew what we needed to do on Sunday, unfortunately, we just fell up short."

"I want to be in the Indy 500 more than anything in the world, but I don't want to be there on a technicality. I want to deserve to be there. We had our chance just like every other car did and we didn't make it," Jacob Abel added

He wrapped up his answer, stating that there was a task cut out for him and the team, and they couldn't live up to that.

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Pato O'Ward speaks up for Jacob Abel after the Team Penske Controversy

AUTO: MAY 18 INDYCAR 109th Running of The Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

On Sunday, May 18, two of Team Penske’s three entries were disqualified due to rule infractions. The situation escalated after Chip Ganassi Racing, joined by other teams, raised concerns about potential violations by Penske.

Several teams claimed they had noticed irregular modifications during the opening day of qualifying on Saturday, May 17. In response to the complaints, the No. 2 and No. 12 cars were pulled from qualifying and returned to the garage after failing inspection.

In the aftermath, Pato O'Ward criticized the illegality of the modifications and expressed sympathy for Jacob Abel, who was the sole driver not to qualify for this year’s Indianapolis 500. (Source: IndyCar on FOX)

"They were not accidentally doing it...Honestly, I feel for Abel for everybody that did the disqualifications....Those cars weren't in regulation. I am not an engineer, so I cannot tell you what they were doing, how much speed that is, or if there is any speed, but obviously it is not in regulation, and the rule is pretty black and white, and those cars should have been in the last chance qualifier (positions 31-33)... " said Pato O'Ward.

The Indy 500 showdown is scheduled for Sunday, May 25.