Tag: David Malukas

Indycar News Release: MALUKAS JOINS COYNE FOR 2022 IN NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH HMD

thepitwindow

This announcement confirms the final full time seat for 2022

From Indycar:

Dale Coyne Racing announced Dec. 15 it has entered a partnership with HMD Motorsports and has signed 2021 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship runner-up David Malukas to drive its No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports entry for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

Malukas, 20, is a Road to Indy graduate who hails from suburban Chicago, about 10 miles from the Dale Coyne Racing shop in Plainfield, Illinois. He claimed seven wins, seven poles and a series-leading 16 podiums in 20 races en route to finishing second in Indy Lights in 2021.

“I am very happy to join Dale Coyne Racing for my first season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” Malukas said. “It has been my dream since a little kid to get to this point, and I am thrilled to get it started with this team. After my first test with DCR, I felt right at home. They are like family already, and I am excited to see what we can accomplish. Bring on 2022!”

Before his 2021 season in Indy Lights and after the enforced hiatus of the 2020 Indy Lights season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malukas finished second in the 2020 Formula Regional Americas Championship powered by Honda with two wins, 15 podiums, one pole and top-five finishes in all 17 races. He made his Indy Lights debut in 2019, finishing sixth in the championship with six top-five results.

Earlier in his career, Malukas finished fourth in his rookie Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires championship in 2018 and competed in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship in 2017 after picking up multiple wins as he climbed the karting ranks.

This is one of the best looking Coyne cars in recent memory.

Malukas got his first taste of an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car in October 2021 and topped the time sheets during a driver evaluation day with the team at Barber Motorsports Park.

“I’ve been following David in Indy Lights, and I was very pleased by what I saw,” team owner Dale Coyne said. “He had a remarkable season, and then he impressed everyone when we tested him back in October. It was his first time in an Indy car, and he was the fastest one at the test, even ahead of a veteran driver. And, on top of it all, he comes from right down the road in Chicago, so it’s a perfect fit for us to run David next season.

“We’re also excited about our new partnership with HMD Motorsports. We can’t wait to start building on this relationship, and we’re looking forward to a successful season together.”

HMD Motorsports has competed in the Road to Indy (RTI) since 2017, earning many race wins, podiums, pole positions and track records across all three RTI ladder programs. In 2021, HMD Motorsports turned its focus toward Indy Lights, where it claimed 10 wins, 33 podiums and the team championship title.

“Having the HMD Motorsports name in INDYCAR was a goal that we had set several years ago and is the first step in the overall plan for the future,” HMD Motorsports General Manager Mike Maurini said. “INDYCAR is experiencing major growth, and HMD is able to be involved at the right time for our drivers and partners.

“Tying the successful Indy Lights program, and business, to an INDYCAR effort gives the HMD name a ladder to the upper echelon of open wheel racing in North America. The goal is to continue to win in Indy Lights, expand and grow a commercial side of the business and advance drivers up into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”

The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season starts with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on Feb. 25-27 at St. Petersburg, Florida.

Lights Drivers Mum on Indycar Futures

thepitwindow

Indycar photo: Kyle Kirkwood on track by Chris Owens

The top three 2021 finishers in Indy Lights, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, and Linus Lundqvist, talked about their very cold test day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today. The trio had the opportunity to test an Indycar on the IMS road course. It was the first time in an Indycar for Lundqvist. Kirkwood and Malukas tested at Barber. Kirkwood also had a test at Sebring.

Kirkwood and Lundqvist drove cars prepared by Andretti Autosport; Lundqvist drove the number 2 car of Team Penske.

Much of the post test discussion centered on the Indycar prospects for the drivers.

All driver photos by Joe Skibinski

Kirkwood, the first driver to win the championship on all three levels of the Road to Indy, still has no ride for 2022, but he hinted that things are moving in a positive way.

“We have an idea, yeah. I think we
have a direction. It’s not all said and done yet. As of today, which today is November
1st, I’ve been given permission to look elsewhere. I
haven’t been able to have conversations. I don’t know
exactly what I can and cannot say, so I’m going to keep my
mouth shut on the direction “.

 

malukjs

Malukas is strongly thought  to have a ride with Dale Coyne Racing for 2022. In response to a question about how far along his deal is, he would only say, “We will do 99.9%”

lundjs

As for Lundqvist, it appears he has very little going on  at the moment. He replied to questions about his Indycar future,

“Unclear I would say. You never
really know what’s going to happen. I would love to stay
here in the U.S. to start off with. Obviously I would love to
be in INDYCAR next year. If that doesn’t happen, then I’m
looking to do Lights another year.
You never really know because budget-wise it’s a very big
question. We’ll see what we can do during the winter, after
this test as well, what pops up. I’ll keep digging no matter
what.”

Tire Heat Biggest Surprise

All three drivers seemed most impressed by how quickly the tires got warm. It caught a couple of them by surprise.

Lundqvist commented, “Actually the Firestone tire, the grip that they have just
straight out of pit lane was a lot better than what I
experienced in Indy Lights. Obviously it takes a little bit of
time for the pressure to come up, but it wasn’t as bad as I
expected it. You just had to be a little bit careful. It was
not too bad. Obviously I think it would have been even
better when it was warmer. Within a lap or two the tires
were in.”

Malukas agreed with Lundqvist, “Comparing to Indy Lights, it’s like
night-and-day difference. With Indy Lights in this weather,
it would have taken quite some time.”

Kirkwood noted, “One thing I did notice that was pretty big, especially
compared to the Lights car, is the tires switch on so quickly
even in the very cool conditions, which I was not expecting
on the first few laps.”

Lundqvist concluded with a comment about how well Indy Lights prepares drivers for Indycar.

“What you learn in Indy Lights, you
can definitely bring on here. The cars are very similar in
some sense but quite different in others.
I think what I learned in Indy Lights is that you’re able to
drive a car just on the limit. That really rewards you in
INDYCAR as well. It’s that you have so much more grip to
play with. It’s not as much on a knife edge, I would say, as
the Lights car is. You got so much more to play with here.
I think you’re extracting a lot of lap times if you’re having a
similar driver style in the Indy Lights car if you bring it to
INDYCAR.”

 

 

“