SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Abel Motorsports has hired veteran team manager John Brunner to fill a multi-faceted role within the team and parent company, Abel Construction of Louisville, Ky.

Brunner will assume the role of team manager for Abel Motorsports at their new facility in Speedway, Ind., along with taking over as fleet manager for Abel Construction, one of the Southeast’s leading commercial construction firms.

Brunner, fresh off a successful run as team manager at Belardi Auto Racing, will also serve as a project manager for Abel Construction, which will operate from the Speedway facility.

“I’m excited to join Abel Motorsports and Abel Construction,” said Brunner. “We’re wrapping up the move of the race team from Louisville up to the new Speedway (Ind.) building. Our two Indy Pro 2000 cars are here along with our transporter and much of the shop equipment. Some team members will be relocating, and we’re looking to staff up with quality people here because this is a team on the rise. We’re going to run a two-car Indy Pro 2000 effort at a high level. We’re starting to look for the right teammate to pair with Jacob (Abel), who’s our team leader.  Belardi was in a similar situation when I started there in 2011. They were a young team that wanted to get to a championship level, and together we were able to do that. My goal here is the same, to take Abel Motorsports to a championship level.”

Under Brunner’s leadership, Belardi won numerous Indy Lights races and the 2014 series championship.

“John brings a tremendous level of experience and expertise to our team, and we’re very pleased he’ll also have a role in our construction business,” said Abel Motorsports Team Principal Bill Abel. “He’ll be using his many contacts in both areas to help us grow and get better and we’re excited that he’s onboard and getting started in the process of helping us prepare to win this year.”

Nineteen-year-old college sophomore Jacob Abel finished fifth in the Formula Regional Americas Championship in 2020, while making select starts in Indy Pro 2000. He’s scheduled to contest the full Indy Pro 2000 schedule this year. The team plans to field a second entry with a driver to be announced at a later date.