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A serious collision during Saturday morning practice at Nashville Superspeedway has forced IndyCar officials to shuffle the weekend’s qualifying lineup. David Malukas, who drives the No. 12 Chevrolet for Team Penske in his first year with the squad, will sit out qualifying after his vehicle suffered extensive damage in the accident.
The 24-year-old driver lost grip while turning and saw his car’s rear slide to the left before crashing hard into the SAFER barrier. Severe structural damage to the vehicle’s rear section ended the practice session immediately for Malukas.
Medical staff assessed Malukas at trackside and found him alert and responsive. He was taken to a local hospital for precautionary examination and further diagnostic work to rule out any injuries.
Team Penske elected to have experienced driver Conor Daly take the wheel for the qualifying effort. Whether Malukas returns for evening practice or the Sunday race, officially known as the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix, remains unclear.
Complications arose from a nine-position grid penalty Malukas already faced for an unapproved engine modification made before the weekend began. The Chicago native now faces both mechanical and regulatory hurdles as his team assesses the damage.
If repairs proceed and qualifying can proceed, Daly’s role involves completing a verification lap to ensure the car functions properly. A series regulation stipulates that whichever driver qualifies the vehicle must operate it for the remainder of the weekend.
The fourth-ranked championship contender trails series leader Alex Palou by 66 points this season. Malukas has recorded one pole position, five top-five finishes, and nine top-ten results since joining Team Penske, including a second-place finish at the Indianapolis 500.
Malukas was among three IndyCar drivers, alongside Palou and Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist, who visited the White House this week in advance of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix scheduled for Washington, DC.
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