Malukas vying to drop ‘Lil’ Dave’ tag after first IndyCar pole
- Archie O’Reilly
- 30 minutes ago
- 4 min read
David Malukas insists he is ready to win a race and move on from the ‘Lil’ Dave’ tag that has remained with him since his sophomore season with Dale Coyne Racing in 2023.
The Chicagoan will lead the field to green at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday after emphatically achieving his first IndyCar pole position in Friday’s qualifying session. And now racing for Team Penske, the 24-year-old is bidding to become ‘Big Dave’ by converting that pole position into a first career victory this weekend.
“A Team Penske win but also my first win and just all-around a win is what we’re pushing for,” Malukas said. “That’s definitely what I really want to do. And can fully drop this Lil’ Dave name that’s been hanging on for too long. A win would be fantastic and I think with this team we have every opportunity at every racetrack to get it done.
“I gave myself Lil’ Dave. My voice was still high; I wasn’t growing any hair. It was cool. I was like: ‘Yeah, Lil’ Dave!’ I just didn’t think I would still not get a win. Then I watched the replay of St. Pete [last week] and I think it was in practice with Scott Dixon, we got close to the wall and Townsend Bell is like: ’That’s a little gap for Lil’ Dave.’
“I’m like: ’Man, we need to drop that name.’ I’m pushing really hard for this one. That’s my number one motivational factor is that we can finally drop the Lil’ Dave.”
Even Malukas’ teammate Josef Newgarden chipped in on the matter: “Big Dave… Little Dave, actually. He has to win a race before he’s Big Dave. It’s his rule.”
With a 175.383 mph two-lap average, Malukas beat Newgarden in second by over 0.8 mph to take his maiden pole in only his second weekend with Penske - and his first on an oval.
After a standout season in qualifying with AJ Foyt Racing in 2025, it marks a fourth successive top-three start on an oval for Malukas. But following successive second-place starts at the Milwaukee Mile and Nashville Superspeedway to end last season, he finally has the breakthrough he wanted at the very beginning of his Penske career.
“It feels good,” he said. “We had so many close moments. That was the story of last season with qualifying - at least on these ovals, where we’re provisionally sitting in that pole spot because of the championship order. Then right at the death, we would get dropped down to second or third... whatever it may be.
“I already knew this time, though, that lap, it was a pretty sporty lap. It was pretty good. It seemed that the track actually went in our favour and it started to get worse. I already had confidence pretty high and it feels so good to finally get it here. All we needed was just a really good crew, so big thank you to Team Penske.”
Malukas qualified fifth in the St. Petersburg season opener last week, suffering a tyre failure after a lock-up early in the race but recovering to finish 13th. Regardless, he has taken a number of positives from his first weekend and is delighted with how he has settled with Penske.
“St. Pete, we had our issues in the race from my side but the weekend as a whole was fantastic, from qualifying even until the end, the recovery in the race,” he said. “Now we come into here and I’m just on a high and I’m so excited.
“Even before the engine starts, I get seated in the car and I start touching the wheel like: ‘Oh, I’m so happy.’ That transcends into the driving. If you’re confident, you’re happy, you’re having a good time, then the driving is going to be that much better.
“It feels good to be in this environment. And to get my first pole with Team Penske with The Captain [Roger Penske] being here as well, with NASCAR, it’s all coming full circle.”
Throughout St. Pete and now at Phoenix too, Malukas has exhibited composure and has not wilted under the weight of making his debut for a 17-time IndyCar championship-winning outfit. He is already relishing the responsibility of replacing two-time champion Will Power,
“No matter what team I’ve been with and throughout these years in IndyCar, I’ve always had a form of pressure to deal with,” he said. “And Team Penske, it’s a special pressure. It’s one that I’m very excited to deal with. For me, Team Penske has always been my dream.
“Going into a car that had a legacy, the Verizon No.12 car, the history and obviously Will Power… what an incredible name - I grew up watching him on the TV. There’s definitely pressure there. No matter where you’re at, you always have a form of pressure. But this one, it’s one that I’m excited to deal with, one that I feel like I’m going to thrive in.”
Malukas is living his dream. But off to a phenomenal start in Penske’s 60th anniversary season, he is not overawed and is instead already delivering the goods in a determined bid to forge himself a long-standing legacy at one of motorsport’s great organisations.
“It’s obviously fantastic to be a part of it,” he said. “Even earlier today, we’re all seated with The Captain himself there. It’s just very special. I love to be a part of it and I still can’t believe it. I’m pinching myself every day the fact that this is real and I’m here at Team Penske.
“All that pressure and seeing all these fantastic drivers around me, it just adds to me just wanting to push even harder, that much harder, to be run across history. And what better way to do that than on Team Penske on their 60th?”
