MADISON, Ill. – David Malukas led from start to finish in Friday’s opening leg of the doubleheader Cooper Tires Indy Lights Oval Challenge of St. Louis at World Wide Technology Raceway.
The Chicago native’s fifth win of the season moved him to within just two points of championship leader Kyle Kirkwood, who finished second for Andretti Autosport.
Oval debutant Benjamin Pedersen of Denmark completed the podium for Global Racing Group with HMD Motorsports after teammate Linus Lundqvist fell victim to an incident in turn four while running close behind Malukas in second place.
Earlier in the afternoon Malukas became the first driver this season to claim four Cooper Tires Pole Awards, breaking a tie with Kirkwood, Lundqvist and Danial Frost. Malukas clinched the award – and what could be a crucial additional championship point – following an exciting single-car qualifying session in which the first of each driver’s two laps would determine the starting positions for the first of two races.
Malukas took advantage of his inside front row starting position to hold position at the rolling start, despite the best efforts of Kirkwood who attempted to drive around the outside in turns one and Two of the unique, 1.25-mile, egg-shaped oval. A sideways slide at the exit of the corner cost Kirkwood valuable momentum, which allowed Lundqvist, up from fourth on the grid, to slip past on the back straightaway.
The race quickly settled into a rhythm with Malukas turning a string of incredibly consistent laps and gradually extending his lead over Lundqvist, who, similarly, seemed to have the measure of Kirkwood in third.
Pedersen settled into fourth ahead of Robert Megennis and Toby Sowery, who brought out the first caution period when his Juncos Hollinger Racing Dallara suffered a broken front axle. The Englishman did a fine job to bring his stricken car to a halt without incurring additional damage.
The status quo remained at the restart, although once again Kirkwood tried to be aggressive in turns one and two which forced Lundqvist into defense mode. A little farther back, Italian-Canadian Devlin DeFrancesco overtook teammate Megennis for fifth place at turn three.
Once again the race quickly settled down, although this time Malukas remained under pressure from Lundqvist…until Lap 59 when he suffered a right-front tire failure in the middle of turns three and four and made heavy contact with the retaining wall. The Swede emerged without personal injury.
Just a couple of laps earlier, Megennis also experienced a similar problem, and with the race once again under caution, Race Director Tony Cotman decided to display the checkered flag nine laps earlier than originally anticipated due to concerns about excessive tire wear.
DeFrancesco crossed the line in fourth ahead of Australian Alex Peroni, who earned his first Tilton Hard Charger Award – in his very first oval race – after starting ninth.