JACOB ABEL TO JOIN COMPASS RACING AT LAGUNA SECA
HPD Academy Graduate to join Mario Farnbacher in No. 76 Richard Mille Acura NSX GT3 Evo
MONTEREY, CA — Honda Performance Development Academy graduate Jacob Abel will make his IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup debut at the helm of Compass Racing’s No. 76 Richard Mille Acura NSX GT3 Evo at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca this coming weekend alongside HPD Factory driver Mario Farnbacher.
Abel – who notched a podium finish this season at Virginia International Raceway in an NSX in SRO GT World Challenge America competition with co-driver Taylor Hagler – is stepping in for regular pilot Jeff Kingsley.
“I’m grateful to HPD and Compass Racing for the opportunity to join Mario at Laguna,” remarked 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.”
Abel joins the team in their strong debut season with the Acura NSX GT3 Evo, and a return to the Acura brand, which Compass first competed with in 2006.
“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,” noted Team Owner Jill Beck. “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.
The livery of the No. 76 is a tribute to visually-impaired philanthropic artist and long-time Compass collaborator Jeff Hanson, who suddenly passed away last December at the age of 27 from neurofibromatosis, the genetic disorder that took his vision 15 years prior. Compass has honored Jeff's legacy throughout the 2021 season, with its' NSX liveries featuring Jeff’s vibrantly hued painting “Light Show at the Louvre”. The team has established a fundraising campaign in memory of Jeff, via their partner non-profit the Race Day Foundation (http://racedayfoundation.org/jeffhanson), in hopes of helping to reach Jeff's goal of raising $10 million for charity by his 30th birthday in 2023.
“We ran cars featuring Jeff’s artwork throughout the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons, and it warms my heart to see his work return on our new Acura NSX GT3,” remarked Team Principal, Karl Thomson.
