David Malukas braces for the “toughest weekend” of 2025 at “chaotic” Iowa

After a pair of road course races, David Malukas is happy to be back on an oval this weekend for IndyCar’s doubleheader at Iowa Speedway — even if it promises to be one of the season’s biggest challenges.

Ovals have been where the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet driver has truly shined in 2025. He scored a second-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 and led a race-high 67 laps at Worldwide Technology Raceway.

The story has been different on road courses, where Malukas’ best result in eight races is a seventh place at Road America.

“I’m very excited to be back on an oval,” he said. “There are still some questions we need to figure out regarding road course setups and strategies, but it feels good to put that on hold and return to a short oval environment that I know I love — and where the team usually performs well.”

Iowa has also been a strong track for Malukas historically. He has started inside the top 10 in four of his six IndyCar races at the 0.894-mile oval — including a second-row start in 2023 — and has two eighth-place finishes there.

“I’ve always enjoyed it. The racing is just chaotic,” he said. “It’s one of the very few races where you’re passing so many cars that you don’t even know what position you’re in. You’re just having a good time. I’m very excited to see how things turn out for us this year.”

Team Penske — with whom AJ Foyt Racing shares a technical alliance — has won eight of the past nine races at Iowa Speedway. That, combined with Foyt’s own oval expertise, boosts Malukas’ confidence heading into the weekend.

“I mean, yeah, of course, with the partnership and just Foyt in general, there’s been success at Iowa. I’m excited to see how this short oval car compares once we get there. It definitely feels good going in knowing we should have a strong package.”

Aero and tire tweaks: the unknown variables

To improve the racing after NASCAR’s recent repaving of the inside lanes diminished IndyCar’s own spectacle, the series is introducing a new aero package for Iowa. This includes shifting aerodynamic load from the underwing to the rear wing, increasing drag and — ideally — making it easier to follow and pass.

Firestone has also brought a new tire construction, including a revised right-front tire, specifically developed for Iowa. These changes were tested in June by 21 of the 27 full-time drivers — but Malukas wasn’t one of them.

“IndyCar is trying to do everything they can to improve the racing. We didn’t take part in the test, so there are more unknowns for us. We’re going in with a clean slate and hoping for good results,” he said.

“Iowa used to be an incredible track for us with lots of passing. Hopefully, with this new package, we can get back to that kind of racing.”

Another key variable will be strategy. Both races this weekend have been extended from 250 to 275 laps, increasing the distance from 218 to 240 miles each.

“Anytime they change lap counts, it helps create more strategy options and different perspectives. I trust IndyCar’s reasoning, and I think things will change.

“With the new aero package, the longer races — they’re clearly putting in the effort to make sure Iowa is a strong race for us. I trust them. I think it’ll be different. We’ll see when the time comes.”

The physical toll of the doubleheader

David Malukas, A. J. Foyt Enterprises

Photo by: Gavin Baker / Lumen via Getty Images

The final challenge of the weekend will be the physical toll. Drivers will need to recover between races in just 20 hours, under grueling conditions.

“I was already talking with my trainer to figure out a recovery plan. The turnaround is tight, the races are longer, and this package will probably be even heavier on the wheel. It’s going to be a real physical challenge.”

“A lot of the preparation we did in the offseason will come into play this weekend. I’m pretty sure it’ll be our toughest weekend by far — and it’s going to be hot on top of that.”

“So, you’re getting the trifecta — longer races, heavier cars, and extreme heat. All the training we’ve done comes down to this.”

All in all, Malukas sees Iowa as a key opportunity. With so many points on the line, he’s aiming to break into the top 10 in the championship, where he currently sits 12th, just 11 points behind teammate Santino Ferrucci in 10th.

“We’ve had a few races where things didn’t go our way, so we tried to salvage points. But now at Iowa, we know the results can be there. We can be further up the order.”

“We just need to make sure we have clean pit stops — that’s always a big deal on ovals — and try to lock in some points. Consistency is key. With things so tight in the standings, maybe a risky pass for short-term gain could be worth it in the long run.”