Lead Driver Kirkwood Claims THIRD Major Development Series Crown in 12 Months, Abel Motorsports Closes In On Inaugural Team Championship
One down, one 2018 objective to go for top-tier open-wheel race team Abel Motorsports of Louisville, Kentucky. The team’s lead driver, 19-year-old Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida, won two of the three F3 Americas Championship races last weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park just outside New Orleans, Louisiana. By taking those two victories Kirkwood claimed his third major development-series championship in 12 months, an unprecedented accomplishment in North American motorsports history.
“It’s very cool”, commented Kirkwood. “I’m proud to have won the first F3 Americas title, to go with my F4 U.S. Championship in 2017 and USF2000 Road to Indy Championship earlier this year. Abel Motorsports is an amazing team, they again gave me a great race car, and I’m so thankful to be able to race with such a great group.”
The two F3 Americas wins over the weekend in the three events ran Kirkwood’s tally to 13 F3 victories in 15 tries in the first-year series, all wheeling Abel Motorsports machinery.
Now, Abel Motorsports has one more task ahead: claiming the inaugural F3 Americas Team Championship.The series has one more race weekend remaining this season.
Team Principal Bill Abel noted, “I’m so proud of our guys. Everyone worked very hard to get us to this point, and Kyle Kirkwood is amazing. He and Jacob (Abel) both did a great job in our cars. We’re almost there!”
The team’s second driver, rookie Jacob Abel of Louisville, Kentucky, also had a strong weekend. Abel gained speed and momentum across the three races finishing the finale Sunday afternoon with a strong podium result of third.
“I was pushing hard all weekend,” the teenager noted. “In Race 1 I had a good start, good pace.. since I’m not in the points battle I had nothing to lose. I pushed a little too hard at the end and got into a gravel trap. Similar thing in Race 2. I’m still learning the car, the much higher horsepower, the weight and downforce, all those things. In Race 3 things started to come together. I put my head down, clicked off some good laps, and got a great result. It’s good to have a race like that.”
Abel Motorsports will be looking to wrap up the first F3 Americas Championship season in style this coming weekend at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
