David Malukas made a strong impression on Tuesday as he led the opening day of the Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway, marking his first official NTT INDYCAR SERIES test session since joining Team Penske after the 2025 season. The 24-year-old posted the fastest lap on the 1-mile desert oval, reaching a speed of 172.605 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.
Malukas’ performance at the Phoenix test reflected his growing potential, as he focused on refining the car throughout the day rather than purely aiming for top speed.
“It feels good to be P1, but at the end of the day, we just ran through our test items,”
Malukas said.
“From that perspective, that’s what truly matters, and everything went very well. We’ve learned so many different things. Everything felt very clear. We got a lot of answers.”
Background and Career Context for Malukas
A native of the Chicago area, Malukas has accumulated experience through four seasons competing with three different teams, including AJ Foyt Racing in 2025. Known for his aptitude on short ovals, his success on similar tracks foreshadowed his quick pace at Phoenix. Two of his three career podium finishes came at the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis, reinforcing his oval-track skill set.
Team Penske’s Strong Showing Amid Testing
Malukas’ time led a Team Penske 1-2 on day one of the two-day test, signaling a promising start for the team following a disappointing 2025 season. Two-time INDYCAR series champion Josef Newgarden followed closely in second place with a lap speed of 172.201 mph in the No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. This early dominance suggests that Penske is aiming to reclaim its place at the top of the series.
Meanwhile, Will Power, who Malukas replaced at Team Penske after a long tenure, began his new journey with Andretti Global by setting the third-fastest time at 171.706 mph in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda. Power’s teammate Kyle Kirkwood secured fourth place with a lap of 171.423 mph in the No. 27 Siemens Honda. Ahead of these drivers was reigning and four-time series champion Alex Palou, who rounded out the top five with a speed of 171.357 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Additional Competitors and Rookie Performances
Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian continued to build on its progress from last season, placing two drivers within the top ten. Marcus Armstrong secured sixth place at 170.919 mph in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda, with teammate Felix Rosenqvist close behind at 170.489 mph in the No. 60 Honda.
Among the rookies, 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone champion Dennis Hauger was the quickest, finishing 17th overall and posting a lap of 169.259 mph in the No. 19 Ault Block Chain Honda fielded by Dale Coyne Racing. Another rookie, Mick Schumacher, son of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, came 23rd at 164.006 mph in the No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda. This marked only Schumacher’s second experience on oval tracks, after making his debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway earlier in February. His 109 laps led all rookies in endurance on track, trailing only Christian Rasmussen and Alexander Rossi from ECR, who completed 128 and 118 laps respectively.
Caio Collet, the 2025 INDY NXT runner-up and also a rookie, experienced the only incident of the day when his No. 4 COMBITRANS AMAZONIA Chevrolet lightly contacted the wall in Turn 4. Collet exited the car on his own without injury.
Preparations Continue Ahead of 2026 Season Start
Testing will resume Wednesday with the final preparations before the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins. Cars will take to the track during two sessions, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET and again from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET, providing teams additional opportunities to fine-tune performance and strategies.
The upcoming season officially kicks off with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 1, taking place on the city’s street circuit, followed by the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, March 7. The Phoenix race marks the circuit’s first inclusion on the INDYCAR calendar since 2018, adding anticipation for the early part of the season.
