MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Dale Coyne Racing completed its NTT IndyCar Series driver lineup with 10 days to spare before the Christmas holiday.
As expected based on conversations SPEED SPORT had with team owner Dale Coyne in late October, Indy Lights standout David Malukas joins the previously announced Takuma Sato at Coyne’s operation.
The team is no longer partners with former driver Jimmy Vasser and marketing man James Sullivan, so Coyne entered into a partnership with HMD Motorsports for the No. 18 Honda. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Sato drives the No. 19 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing with RWR – a partnership with NASCAR team owner Rick Ware.
“I am very happy to join Dale Coyne Racing for my first season in the NTT IndyCar Series,” said Malukas, who is from the southwest suburbs of Chicago about 10 miles from Coyne’s shop in Plainfield, Ill. ““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.”
Malukas is a Road to Indy graduate who claimed seven wins, seven poles and a series-leading 16 podiums in 20 races on his way to a second place in the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Championship this past season. He also set two track records at St. Petersburg (qualifying) and Detroit (race).
Prior to his 2021 season in Indy Lights and after the enforced hiatus of the 2020 Indy Lights season, 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 young career, the 20-year-old driver finished fourth in his rookie Indy Pro 2000 championship in 2018 and competed in the USF2000 Championship in 2017 after picking up multiple wins as he moved up through the karting ranks.
Malukas got his first taste of an NTT IndyCar Series car this past October 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,” 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 been competing in the Road to Indy since 2017 picking up numerous race wins, podiums, pole positions and track records across all three RTI ladder programs. In 2021, HMD Motorsports turned their focus towards the Indy Lights Series where they claimed 10 wins, 33 podiums and the team championship.
“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,” said Mike Maurini, General Manager of HMD Motorsports. “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.”
Based in Brownsburg, Ind., HMD Motorsports plans to field entries for five drivers in Indy Lights next season as it looks to continue to build a brand and grow. With numerous race wins and podium results through 2018 and 2019, the Illinois based program went through a complete rebrand and overhaul as they moved to the Indianapolis area. With the 2020 Indy Lights season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HMD Motorsports explored other avenues of racing while keeping their complete staff intact.
Returning to the Road to Indy in 2021 and making their official series debut since the overhaul, HMD Motorsports was a dominant force. Adding on highly experienced personnel to a strong driver lineup, HMD Motorsports immediately became a frontrunning team with 10 wins and thirty-three podiums, ultimately claiming the team championship and three of the top four positions in the championship chase.