| David Malukas | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality: |  American | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 27 September 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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David Malukas (born September 27, 2001) is an American racing driver currently competing in the NTT IndyCar Series for Meyer Shank Racing.
In 2016 and the early part of 2017, Malukas competed in the Formula 4 UAE Championship for Rasgaira Motorsports.[1] He did not contest the full season but still finished sixth in the championship.
Malukas would move to ADAC Formula 4 to compete for Motopark in 2017. There he would end up finishing nineteenth in the championship.
Along with his efforts in ADAC Formula 4, Malukas would compete in the U.S. F2000 National Championship in 2017 for BN Racing. At the first race at Road America, he took pole position and finished on the podium in second.
After competing part-time in the U.S. F2000 National Championship the previous year, Malukas would move up to the Pro Mazda Championship in 2018 again driving for BN Racing.[2] He would have an impressive season with three wins and six podiums to finish fourth in the championship.
Due to the 2020 Indy Lights season being cancelled in 2020, Malukas would compete in the Formula Regional Americas Championship for HMD Motorsports. He had a successful season claiming two wins and fifteen podiums to finish second in the championship.
In 2019, Malukas would once again move up a rung in the Road to Indy ladder to the Indy Lights series driving for BN Racing.[3] In August of that year, Malukas' father Henry acquired BN Racing's Indy Lights operation and established HMD Motorsports. Malukas would only have two podiums at Circuit of the Americas and Gateway Motorsports Park respectively.
Malukas was set to compete in the series in 2020,[4] however the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
After 2020, Malukas returned to the series in 2021 once again with HMD Motorsports.[6] He would claim his maiden pole at the second race at Barber Motorsports Park and would go on to get his first win in the series.[7] [8] Malukas would challenge rookie Kyle Kirkwood for the title all season but ultimately finished second in the standings behind Kirkwood. He would have his most impressive season in any category thus far with six poles, sixteen podiums and seven wins.[9]
On December 15, 2021, it was announced that Malukas would drive the No. 18 entry full-time for Dale Coyne Racing in partnership with HMD Motorsports during the 2022 IndyCar Series season.[10] At Mid-Ohio, he finished a career-best ninth in his first top-10 of the season.[11] At the next race in Toronto, Malukas made it into the Firestone Fast 6 for a second time that season and qualified a career-best fifth.[12] Malukas took his first podium at Gateway, nearly passing his idol Josef Newgarden for the win on the last lap but ultimately settling for second place.[13]
In 2023, Malukas' second campaign with Dale Coyne started off with a top-10 finish in the chaotic season opener in St. Petersburg, then saw him qualify 9th in the 2023_PPG_375 at Texas Motor Speedway, and finish 4th in a multi-car battle for the win. His promising start went a bit awry, when he managed only 2 top-20 results during the next 6 races in a row Following a last-place finish in the Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America, David shook off the bad luck by qualifying 12th and recording a 6th place finish. The next stop at Toronto would prove to be a let down, being credited with a 20th place after retiring due to contact. Malukas went on to the double-header at Iowa and recorded solid 12th and 8th place finishes. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville he qualified 6th, but suffered a mechanical failure, and was credited with a last-place finish. After a disappointing qualifying session, at the Gallagher Grand Prix, in Indianapolis, he moved up 7 positions to finish 16th. Returning to Gateway, the site of his breakout performance during the previous season, he came home in 3rd. At Portland, David qualified 24th, then worked his way forward to finish in 8th place. During the season finale in Laguna Seca, he survived a shunt, which left him stranded in a gravel trap, then returned to finish 20th.
On September 8, 2023, Arrow McLaren announced Malukas had been signed to a multi-year contract as driver of the No. 6 entry, beginning in 2024.[14] However, Malukas broke his wrist in a mountain biking accident and was released by the team on April 29, 2024, after missing four races with an unclear recovery timeline.[15]
On June 7, 2024, it was announced that Malukas would be returning to IndyCar with Meyer Shank Racing, replacing Tom Blomqvist.[16] He will compete in the remainder of the 2024 season with them in the #66 replacing Meyer Shank co-owner Hélio Castroneves who raced at the two previous races at Detroit and Road America, starting at Laguna Seca.[17]
On August 13, 2024, it was announced that Malukas signed a multi-year deal with A. J. Foyt Racing for the 2025 season and beyond.[18]
Malukas' parents emigrated from Telšiai in 1991,[19] shortly after Lithuania regained independence from the Soviet Union, which had illegally annexed the country in 1940.[20] Malukas was born in Chicago, Illinois and is a United States citizen.[21] He has said in an interview that while also eligible for Lithuanian citizenship, he has not pursued it. In addition to the American flag, Malukas marks his cars with the Lithuanian flag in honor of his ethnic heritage.
In 2015, Malukas was one of the featured drivers in the Kart Life TV series, which provided a behind the scenes look into the world of young kart racers.[22]
| Season | Series | Team | Position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Florida Winter Tour — Rotax Micro Max | MRP Motorsport | 26th | |
| 2010 | SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Cadet | 8th | ||
| 2011 | Florida Winter Tour — Rotax Micro Max | 5th | ||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Cadet | 12th | |||
| 2012 | Florida Winter Tour — TaG Cadet | 9th | ||
| Florida Winter Tour — Rotax Mini Max | 25th | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Cadet Sportsman | 3rd | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Yamaha Sportsman | 6th | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Yamaha Sportsman 2 | 2nd | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Cadet | 4th | |||
| 2013 | Florida Winter Tour — TaG Cadet | 7th | ||
| Florida Winter Tour — Rotax Mini Max | 4th | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Cadet Sportsman | 2nd | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Yamaha Sportsman | 2nd | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Komet Sportsman | 2nd | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Komet Sportsman 2 | 3rd | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Junior | 23rd | |||
| Robopong 200 — Yamaha Junior Sportsman | 4th | |||
| Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals — Mini Max | 1st | |||
| 2014 | Florida Winter Tour — TaG Junior | 6th | ||
| Florida Winter Tour — Rotax Junior | 1st | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Parilla Sportsman | 3rd | |||
| WKA Manufacturer’s Cup — Yamaha Sportsman | 3rd | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Junior | Top Kart USA | 2nd | ||
| IAME International Final — X30 Junior | 54th | |||
| 2015 | Florida Winter Tour — Junior ROK | 4th | ||
| Florida Pro Kart Winter Series — IAME Junior | Pro Kart USA | NC | ||
| Rotax Grand Nationals U.S.A. — Junior | 4th | |||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Junior | J3 Competition | 4th | ||
| SKUSA SuperNationals — S5 Junior Stock Moto | NC | |||
| X30 Challenge Europa — X30 Junior | 14th | |||
| IAME International Final — X30 Junior | 1st | |||
| 2016 | Florida Winter Tour — Rotax Senior | 9th | ||
| X30 Challenge Europa — X30 Junior | 33rd | |||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ | Vital Motorsport | 38th | ||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — OKJ | Ricciardo Kart Racing | 31st | ||
| WSK Final Cup — OKJ | Birel ART Racing | 16th | ||
| 2017 | SKUSA SuperNationals — Rotax Senior | 33rd |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Formula 4 UAE Championship | Rasgaira Motorsports | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 97 | 5th | |
| 2017 | ADAC F4 Championship | Motopark | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 19th | |
| U.S. F2000 National Championship | BN Racing | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 108 | 10th | ||
| 2018 | Pro Mazda Championship | BN Racing | 16 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 302 | 4th | |
| 2019 | Indy Lights | BN Racing HMD Motorsports | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 301 | 6th | |
| 2020 | Formula Regional Americas Championship | HMD Motorsports | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 283 | 2nd | |
| 2021 | Indy Lights | HMD Motorsports | 20 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 524 | 2nd | |
| 2022 | IndyCar Series | Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 305 | 16th | |
| 2023 | IndyCar Series | Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 265 | 17th | |
| 2024 | IndyCar Series | Meyer Shank Racing |
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Rank | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | BN Racing HMD Motorsports1 | STP | STP | COA | COA | IMS | IMS | INDY | RDA | RDA | TOR | TOR | MDO | MDO | GTW | POR | POR | LAG | LAG | 6th | 301 | |||
| 2021 | HMD Motorsports | ALA | ALA | STP | STP | IMS | IMS | DET | DET | RDA | RDA | MDO | MDO | GTW | GTW | POR | POR | LAG | LAG | MDO | MDO | 2nd | 524 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dale Coyne Racing w/ HMD Motorsports | Dallara DW12 | 18 | Honda | STP | TXS | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY | DET | ROA | MDO | TOR | IOW | IOW | IMS | NSH | GTW | POR | LAG | 16th | 305 | [23] | |
| 2023 | STP | TXS | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY | DET | ROA | MDO | TOR | IOW | IOW | NSH | IMS | GTW | POR | LAG | 17th | 265 | [24] | |||||
| 2024 | Meyer Shank Racing | 66 | STP | THE | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY | DET | ROA | LAG | MDO | IOW | IOW | TOR | GTW | POR | MIL | MIL | NSH | 25th* | 92* | [25] |
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dallara | Honda | 13 | align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;" | 16 | Dale Coyne Racing w/ HMD Motorsports | |
| 2023 | Dallara | Honda | 23 | align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;" | 29 | Dale Coyne Racing w/ HMD Motorsports |