David malukas bracing for return to form at milwaukee doubleheader

Here is the thing about racing ovals: they expose everything. Thankfully for David Malukas, this weekend brings a doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile, exactly where the NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver needs to be right now. After all, he has scored the most points on oval tracks this season.

Let us not sugarcoat it—the recent patch has been brutal for the driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Once putting up a fight against three-time reigning series champion Alex Palou, Malukas has slipped to fourth in the standings and is all but eliminated from title contention. Back in July, he trailed Palou by 60 points. Today, that gap sits at 142 points.

The slide happened because of a rough run on a road course (Portland International Raceway) and two street circuits (in Markham and Washington). His average finish in those races plummeted to 17.7, a sharp drop from his 6.25 average across the first 12 races of the season. Malukas has been battling the lingering effects of a mountain biking accident from February 2024 where he fractured and dislocated his left wrist while suffering torn ligaments. He has been driving with a carbon-fiber brace, which has reduced his mobility and occasionally diverted his focus away from the machine.

“For a short time, I can do it,” Malukas said Friday. “But (in) races where you have a snap of the wheel (and) higher (tire wear), it’s harder to keep control of everything because you have this giant sling.

“The wrist itself can take it, but because the sling is limiting my motion, it’s tough.”

The Chicago native admitted that over the past six weeks, there were times he was more focused on the wrist than the car. The trouble has lingered as far back as the July 5 race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. By the Aug. 9 race in Portland, he wore wrist wraps and the team adjusted his steering wheel to help. He mentioned discomfort again on Aug. 16 in Markham, and the same issue struck last weekend in Washington, likely contributing to his crash into the wall on Lap 83 of the 90-lap race while running in sixth place. Given that NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars lack power steering, the loads on a driver's arms and hands are massive.