Indy 500 Heartbreak For David Malukas: ‘This Is My Live Or Die Right Here’

Indianapolis Convention Center (Indianapolis) — David Malukas, who lost the Indianapolis 500 by the smallest margin ever, let the tears flow after the race. The 24-year-old, who still seeks his first INDYCAR win, doesn’t mind that the world saw him at his most vulnerable. “I just care so much,” Malukas told me and other reporters on Monday night. “This is my live or die right here. And let’s just say, when you say you die, you rest in peace. I won’t rest in peace until I get an Indy 500 win.” The Team Penske driver thought he was going to win the Indy 500 when Felix Rosenqvist made a late move, side drafted him and beat him to the finish line by 0.0233 seconds. The only reaction was to cry. “I find it crazy to not show that,” Malukas said prior to the Indy 500 victory celebration ceremony where the drivers get their checks for competing in the race. “To me, it would have been a dream come true, right? To put into words the pain of being that close to a dream come true is very hard.” Malukas is in his first year at Team Penske and has 68 career INDYCAR starts. He sits second in the championship standings. “My whole life has been leading up to the Indy 500 win,” Malukas said. “That’s all I really want in my whole life, is just to have a victory in the Indy 500, Indy 500 championships, all of that stuff. “So my whole life, all the hardships we went through led up to that moment. And to be that close, and not just for an Indy 500 win, but just a win in INDYCAR, I still haven’t gotten it yet. And we’ve just been so damn close. So all my emotions came out. And  I’m proud to show it.”