David Malukas Completes First
IndyCar Short Oval Race

Newton, Iowa – (Saturday, July 23, 2022) – Dale Coyne Racing, with drivers Takuma Sato (#51 Dale Coyne Racing with RWR) and David Malukas (#18 Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports), took part in the first race of the doubleheader weekend on Saturday at Iowa Speedway. Details for both drivers’ races are below.

Newton, Iowa – (Saturday, July 23, 2022) – Rookie David Malukas (#18 HMD Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports) completed his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES short oval race on Saturday with a 14th place finish.

• Malukas continued to impress in qualifying earlier in the day by registering his best oval start of the season with a sixth place on the starting grid.
• The rookie had a good start to the race maintaining his position in the top 6 through the first race restart on Lap 23.
• Malukas fell out of the Top 10 on Lap 37 and was running 13th when he entered pit lane for his first stop on Lap 52.
• Following the pit stop sequence, Malukas was once again running 13th.
• He took advantage of a full course caution on lap 117 to make his second pit stop.
• The driver of the #18 HMD machine was 19th when the race returned to green conditions on Lap 134.
• He then made his final trip down pit lane on Lap 171 and with a long stint ahead of him, Malukas managed his tires and climbed his way back up in the final laps to take the checkered flag in 14th place. 
• In 11 races this season, the rookie has a best finish of ninth registered at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and a best start of fifth (Toronto).

David Malukas, #18 Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports Honda
“We just completed Race 1 in Iowa. 250 laps and we ended up 14th at the end. We struggled with the car on the first and second stint. It was kind of on ice skates. I was gripping on to the steering wheel so hard, and I was so focused that I don’t think I blinked! I was just so focused to not spin out. We managed to survive those stints. The last stint was the longest, about 80 laps. I wasn’t sure which way the car was going to go so I ended up taking it easy and the last 10 laps I pushed and managed to move up from 19th to 14th. It was quite fun at the end to make some passes. Overall, I think it was a lot of lessons learned that will be useful for tomorrow’s race.”

Newton, Iowa – (Saturday, July 23, 2022) – Takuma Sato and his Dale Coyne Racing with RWR team didn’t have the race they were hoping for on Saturday at Iowa Speedway after placing 21st, but a strong run in the final stint of the 250 lap race gives them hope for the final round of the doubleheader on Sunday.

• Earlier in the day Sato qualified ninth for the first race of the weekend aboard his #51 Deloitte Honda.
• Unfortunately for Sato, he fell out of the top 10 at the start of the race and was running 21st by the time he entered pit lane for his first stop of the race on Lap 57.
• Sato then returned to pit lane for his second stop on Lap 117 and was once again running 21st when he made what would be his penultimate stop on Lap 171.
• The two-time Indy 500 Champion had to make an unscheduled stop on Lap 184 for a new front wing following contact with another competitor, which put him several laps down.
• Sato has a best result of third (2018) at Iowa Speedway and has led 59 laps at the short oval throughout his career.
• In 11 races this season, Sato has a best finish of seventh at the GMR Grand Prix and a best start of second in Detroit.
• Sato will be starting fifth for Sunday’s Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300.

Takuma Sato #51 Nurtec ODT Honda – Dale Coyne Racing with RWR
“We had a good qualification this morning and started P9 for today’s race. Unfortunately, from the first lap I went backwards. It was impossible to hang on with the understeer I had. It looked like we were going to have a long, long day. Then we had a small incident during the race that was my fault, and I damaged the front wing. I had to come back to the pits for a new wing. The car felt completely different afterwards as the balance was better. I think we were one of the fastest cars in the entire last stint. So that’s encouraging for tomorrow. Anyhow, I’m happy to be back in Iowa, in the Deloitte car today but I’m also looking forward to tomorrow as we go back to our purple Nurtec ODT car, and we’ll be starting from the fifth position. It’s looking very positive.”

Next Up:
Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend
Races 12 of 17
Track length: 0.875-mile short oval
Race 2: 300 laps

Schedule (all times local)
Sunday, July 24, 2022
Race 2: 2:30pm