David Malukas wished extra, however left Barber Motorsports Park happy with a fourth-place end.
After beginning second on the two.3-mile, 17-turn pure terrain highway course, the Chicago native tried to maintain tempo with pole-sitter – and eventual race winner Alex Palou. The impression of beginning on a set of softer alternate (pink sidewall) tires reverse of Palou’s more durable primaries (black sidewall), left him sliding backwards after 15 of 90 laps.
Regardless of the temporary slide, Malukas by no means dropped beneath fourth on technique. Within the closing laps, he started to make a late cost and stress Graham Rahal for the ultimate spot on the rostrum, however was left settling for fourth on the end.
The end result continues a powerful begin to the 2026 IndyCar season for Malukas, who joined Workforce Penske over the offseason to take over the #12 Chevrolet. After ending thirteenth within the season-opener at St. Petersburg, he’s now grabbed three consecutive prime six finishes, together with two prime fives; already matching his profession greatest in a season.
Nonetheless, Malukas can’t assist however marvel if there was extra in it on the Alabama circuit if he opted to start out Sunday’s race on the first compound.
“All of it comes all the way down to the start, on selecting to start out on the reds, that was not the correct technique,” stated Malukas, 24. “However on that technique although, we have been the primary automobile. The automobile #7 (Christian Lundgaard), they have been by far the quickest automobile on the market, however we have been excellent behind them.
“I believe the most effective that we most likely might have executed is perhaps a P3, if I arrange Rahal a bit bit higher on the finish there, perhaps we might have gotten a podium.”
Malukas now sits fourth within the championship standings, 40 factors behind chief Kyle Kirkwood (156-116).
“General, it is nonetheless a very good factors day for us and Workforce Penske,” Malukas stated.
“We discovered rather a lot. And yeah, now we all know we obtained to remain forward of the sport with regards to selecting these tires. If we began primaries, who is aware of, we’d have been proper up there and had a distinct battle. However both approach, thanks to Workforce Penske, Verizon, and Chevrolet.”
Learn Additionally:
We wish your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Workforce
