In a joint partnership with HMD Motorsports, Dale Coyne Racing announced that David Malukas will be joining the organization and drive the No. 18 Dallara-Honda on a full-time basis for the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season.
Malukas, a 20-year-old native from Chicago, Illinois, with dual nationality (American and Lithuanian), is coming off a full-time campaign in the Indy Lights with HMD Motorsports, where he notched seven victories, seven poles, 16 podiums and a runner-up result in the final standings.
“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!”
The 2021 Indy Lights season was Malukas’ second in the series after competing in the series in 2019 with BN Racing and HMD Motorsports, where he achieved two podiums and a sixth-place result in the final standings.
In 2020, Malukas competed in the Formula Regional Americas Championship, where he claimed two victories, 15 podiums and a runner-up result in the final standings. He also spent 2016-18 competing in the Formula 4 UAE Championship, the ADAC F4 Championship, the USF2000 National Championship and the Pro Mazda Championship. During the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship season, he achieved three victories, three poles, six podiums and a fourth-place result in the final standings.
The 2022 racing season will mark Malukas’ first campaign in the IndyCar circuit. He experienced his first drive in an IndyCar at Barber Motorsports Park with Dale Coyne Racing in October, where he was the fastest competitor during the testing session and was pleased with his run. He then participated in a second IndyCar testing session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Team Penske in November.
“I’ve been following David in Indy Lights, and I was very pleased by what I saw,” Dale Coyne, team owner of Dale Coyne Racing, 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.”
“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, general manager of HMD Motorsports, added. “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.”
Malukas’ entrance to IndyCar and to Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports comes less than a week after Dale Coyne Racing parted ways with Vasser Sullivan Racing following a four-year partnership. It also comes after Dale Coyne Racing signed two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Takuma Sato to pilot the No. 51 Honda in a partnership with Rick Ware Racing for the 2022 season.
David Malukas’ first campaign in an NTT IndyCar Series season is set to commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on February 27, 2022.
