Completing a test at the Kentucky Speedway last week, as well as another test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday, Illinois resident David Malukas is set for his first oval event of the season. Taking place this coming Thursday and Friday, Malukas will compete in the prestigious Freedom 100 on Carb Day, just after the completion of the final NTT IndyCar Series practice.
“I am pretty excited to race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval,” expressed Malukas. “My goal is IndyCar and the Indy 500 so I will take it all in, learn and work towards the best result possible. We had a good test on Monday, as I was able to experience the car in traffic at nearly 200 miles per hour. Things happen pretty quick around here but I am a lot more comfortable now than I was at the beginning of the test.”
Last week in Kentucky and Monday during the Indy test, Malukas showed pace as he ran laps in both race and qualifying simulations. The BN Racing driver progressed throughout the on day on track and looks forward to the green flag next Friday.
Malukas added, “Competing on an oval is different but I like it. Sometimes you have to just tell your brain to trust the car and be proactive in setup changes. Turning in a few feet early can spell disaster so it is important to hit your marks each and every lap. The mental focus is much higher than road course racing.”
Thursday morning will provide another short 45-minute test session for the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Series drivers before qualifying takes place that afternoon. The green flag for the Freedom 100 will fly Friday afternoon at 1:00pm during the ever-popular Carb Day festivities. Follow all the racing action on IndyLights.com or the Road To Indy TV app for your smart phone.
For more information on David Malukas, please visit www.DavidMalukas.com.
Photos: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Photography LLC