Malukas: Deal With Meyer Shank A “Win-Win” For Both Sides

Source: Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment / other

MONTERREY, Calif. — David Malukas will be returning to the cockpit of an Indy car for the first time since the end of last season this weekend at Laguna Seca.

A lot has taken place between then and now. Malukas, who left Dale Coyne Racing to join Arrow McLaren for the 2024 season, has now been with three different teams in less than a calendar year as he gets ready to drive the No. 66 car for Meyer Shank Racing.

Malukas was let go by McLaren soon after the 2024 season began because the recovery of a wrist he broke in a mountain biking accident before the season started was taking a little too long.

“It started with obviously a big high, getting the whole Arrow McLaren signed,” Malukas said. “Then it went to a pretty big low after everything that’s happened with the injury.”

Malukas said his wrist is about 80-percent healed at this point and is eager to get back racing.

“I never had an injury this bad before, let alone going back into a car,” he said. “I don’t really know what to expect.”

Malukas did some social media work for the NTT IndyCar Series throughout the Month of May. He watched as his fellow competitors took on the Indianapolis 500. Though strange, Malukas chooses to look at the bright side of the experience.

“I was able to get a different view on the 500, being a fan again after many, many years. In some ways it was actually a cool experience to see how fast we actually go, it’s a lot faster on the outside than the inside,” said Malukas.

In the 10 days after the Indy 500, Malukas said he got a call from Meyer Shank Racing about possibly coming to finish out the season in their stable. Tom Blomqvist, who wrecked his car in the first turn of the first lap of the race, was removed from the No. 66 car, and team co-owner Helio Castroneves ran the following races as Detroit and Road America.

Just days before the race at Road America, Meyer Shank announced that they and Malukas had come to terms with him to take over in the car at Laguna Seca.

“They reached out to me because I saw the news about Tom, but I wasn’t really too sure on what the deal was with it. I thought maybe an injury or something of some sort happened,” he said. “From when we initially started talks to when it was pen or paper, it was a total of seven to 10 days, somewhere around that realm. It did happen very fast.”

Malukas, who called the deal a “win-win” for both he and MSR, got familiar with his new team at the hybrid test at the Milwaukee Mile. Malukas said it was the perfect place not only to get in the groove with a new organization and test the hybrid but to simply get back in a rhythm after his injury.

“The Milwaukee test, I wasn’t really too worried going into it. Just being an oval, not that much strain on the left wrist or hand,” he said. “Laguna is going to be a question mark with the re-pavement being heavier on the wheel.”

Malukas admits that his hand gets a little tired running through race simulations at the Meyer Shank facility, but says he will be ready to go once the green flag drops on Sunday.

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