INDIANAPOLIS — A disappointed David Malukas sat next to his pit box talking to local news media and team members alike after the conclusion of the 109th Indianapolis 500.
The 23-year-old had only recently climbed out of his No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet after finishing third in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. It was his best result in the historic event and one of the best for his team.
Both Malukas and teammate Santino Ferrucci finished in the top seven among the Indy 500 results. It was a historic effort for the organization, as it was the first time the historic race team has finished two cars in the top 10 of the 500-mile race since 2000.
But still …
“I mean, obviously, you want more when you get that close,” team principal Larry Foyt told Frontstretch. “David looked like he definitely had the car, and what a great drive he put on all day, and it just came down to the end there and hard to pass and with some cars in front of the leaders. I think it was just tough.
“Just want to get that little bit more.”
Sunday’s (May 25) 500-mile race marked one of the more chaotic installments of the Indy 500 in recent memory. Before the event even began, race favorites Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon both experienced issues after the former crashed on the pace laps and the latter had a brake issue.
The attrition rate only grew, as front-running teams such as Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi and later Ryan Hunter-Reay experienced trials throughout the day.
That paved the way for the Foyt duo and its respective pit strategies, and it has been practicing for the opportunity.
“That was a positive run to say that we were fighting for a win for the 500,” Malukas said. “But from the crew, from the strategy to positioning on track, I mean that was a damn near perfect race for us.
“It was just a nonstop push from the guys and leading up to the race, we tried so many different setups, so many different ideas. … I had a really good car underneath me and these guys have been practicing nonstop on these pit stops and when we pulled in today. I mean, those are damn good pit stops.”
Malukas found himself contending with the front runners early and often despite the constant caution flag interruptions and green-flag pit stops. By the end, he was racing for the win among Marcus Ericsson and eventual race winner Alex Palou.
Ferrucci was not far behind him as he hovered near the edge of the top five.
“I can see it kind of coming to us late in the race and I was just trying to stay smart and clean,” Ferrucci said post-race. “Yeah, just that last green flag stop I think hurt us. We were just outside the top five, but I mean we would have needed a caution to happen.”
In a race that displayed difficulties in passing and track position appeared to be the most valuable commodity, the final green flag pit stop was likely to reveal the event’s eventual champion.
Alas, when the final stops cycled through, Malukas was running third, and Ferrucci seventh. They remained there until the checkered flag.
Yet despite the frustratingly near victory, AJ Foyt Racing still has plenty to smile about.
“That was a positive run to say that we were fighting for a win for the 500,” Malukas told media post-race. “I mean, that’s special, but It’s just bittersweet.
“We were just so damn close.”
Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loud column, co-host of the Frontstretch Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.
Follow Dalton on Twitter @PitLaneCPT