"I started crying": IndyCar star David Malukas recalls a core NASCAR memory

David Malukas recently looked back on a NASCAR memory. In line with this, the AJ Foyt Racing IndyCar driver appeared on the FrontStretch Open Wheel YouTube show.

Malukas asserted that he went to a NASCAR race with his dad at the Chicago Land Speedway back in the day, and revealed how it impacted him.

"Yeah, I mean it's such a core memory, going there with my dad. We were watching a NASCAR race at that time and I was, I mean a little boy, I remember it was so loud I started crying. I'm like it was so loud as a kid, I remember he gave me those, the headset, it was so big, it wouldn't even fit on my head. That's how tiny I was. It was just 90% headset and then my little face," Malukas said. (10:07 onwards).

David Malukas was born in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up there, he used to visit the Chicago Land racetrack, and this is where he most probably started developing a soft spot for racing in his heart.

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David Malukas found 'sitting on the sidelines' tough in 2024

David Malukas sat out the initial part of the 2024 IndyCar season (seven races) because of a hand injury. This forced Arrow McLaren to release him early from his contract.

As a consequence, the 23-year-old competed in IndyCar with Meyer Shank Racing in the second part of the campaign.

With him currently on a deal with AJ Foyt Racing, ahead of the ongoing 2025 season, he had the following to say in light of last year.

"I learned a lot, especially being on the sidelines, just seeing what the engineers have to deal with, all the screens, the strategy. There’s a lot that I learned that as a driver you don’t really know much of what’s going on, so I think it was good by the time I got in the car I didn’t get angry at the engineers or the strategy on what’s going on because they can see a lot more than the driver can see," Malukas said in January 2025 via Motorspeedweek.

David Malukas has been competing in IndyCar (off-and-on basis) since the start of the 2022 season. He ended 2024 in 24th place in the drivers' standings with 148 points. In the process of doing so, he was only able to amass two top-ten finishes.

Keeping in view the turbulent career that Malukas has so far had in IndyCar, he would ideally want a steady 2025. As things stand, he is currently in 18th place in the drivers' standings with 42 points to his name.

It would do the 23-year-old's confidence a world of good if he manages to end up in the top 15 at the end of the season.