David Malukas walked into his INDYCAR media day press conference with his usual excitement, this time with added enthusiasm, something that resembles a child starting a new year of school.
Malukas has been in this situation before. He has signed for a top INDYCAR team, and been there in their papaya colours for Media Day in downtown Indianapolis. This concept is not new to the Illinois native. It was the weeks after that wrecked him.
His Mclaren career came crumbling down after that, when a biking accident at the start of February dislocated his wrist and tore ligaments in his arm. The team released Maluklas on April 29th, when he still hadn’t recovered fully.
“That year, 2024, I aged 10 years in one. It was a big learning curve for me,” said Maluaks. “I think everything happened for a reason. I think without the injury and the way everything happened from 2024 to now, I don’t think I’d really be here.”
It would be extremely understandable for the 24 year old self proclaimed ‘Meme King’ to feel apprehensive coming into 2026. He is once again in the colours of a big team, this time in Team Penske red, waiting to drive one of the most iconic cars in the sport, the Verizon sponsored number 12 entry.
Malukas however, seems unphased. He is most definitely his usual self that the fans have come to love. Malukas, when asked how he is settling in with his new family, spoke with extreme warmth in his vocal tone. “These guys have treated me with open arms. They’ve been really friendly. We’ve already been getting along.” It was by no means a media trained response.
Moving Closer to the Dream
Malukas has recently moved to Charlotte, in order to be closer to Team Penske’s 105 acre facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, a decision that he is already seeing the benefits of, due to being closer to the team’s simulator.
“The big difference I’d say is just from an energy perspective because I would always do like the early morning flight and then go straight to the sim, so even just performance on the sim is definitely better now since I’m having a full proper sleep.”
“Going into the season this is the most prepared and ready I’ve ever felt.. I think we’ll make a big jump right off the bat, he exclaimed.
‘Penske Perfect’ is a phrase thrown around the paddocks of INDYCAR and IMSA a lot, and although some will say it with a plentiful supply of humour, it’s hard to argue that it’s not at least somewhat accurate when you’ve seen their achievements in events such as the INDY500 and Rolex 24 at Daytona. Malukas, is the latest to attest to this statement, saying how “it’s perfect in there. Everything is clean, shiny.”
One problem he has had however, is keeping things that way. “It’s kind of tough to find garbage cans in there, though. I’m not going to lie. They’re all hidden. I remember it took me a long time to find one.”
“Everything there is spotless. It’s definitely the top of the top. It feels good to be a part of that environment, and I’m excited to see what it does to me and what it can change for myself.”
A Second Chance with a New Giant
‘Penske Perfect’ is a lifestyle that starts with the standards Roger Penske has instilled in the team since the beginning, on December 1st 1969. Malukas is keen to become accustomed to this new lifestyle, which included picking himself up some new workwear.
“I only had one suit, and then we had to do three events back-to-back, and I was looking at the list, and some of it was the same people. So I was like, oh no, I can’t just wear the same suit three days in a row… Now we’ve got like five or six.”
Other than some new tailored fits, Malukas vows to stay the same. “From my side, I’m going to remain who I am and be myself with the memes, all that stuff. I have been off a little
a bit of the socials, but I think it’s just my age is starting to go up a little bit now.”
In 2025, while racing for A.J Foyt Racing, a team who had a technical alliance with Penske, Malukas finished 11th in the standings. He scored one podium, a second place at the showpiece, narrowly losing the INDY500 to the ‘The Surgeon Of Precision,’ more commonly known as Alex Palou. He narrowly missed out on a couple of oval wins, due to both bad luck and individual errors.
Eyes Set on 2026: “Consistency – That’s the Goal”
However, with a front running, championship winning outfit, Malukas feels its perfect timing to up the level of performance and prove that he can be an INDYCAR winner. This starts with, what feels is his biggest aim for 2026, consistency.
“I think that’s what really matters in INDYCAR. We have so many different circuits. You have streets, road, ovals. Through all of it, they’re all just so different. To have consistency between all of them, that would be a successful year for me.”
David Malukas will make his Team Penske debut in St.Petersburg, Florida, for Round 1 of the NTT INDYCAR Series on March 1.
written by Evan Dalton // Media Credit: Penske Entertainment
