David Malukas tops Barber practice 2 amid changing conditions

David Malukas rose to the top of the time charts in a wet and unpredictable 2025 IndyCar Barber practice 2 as mixed conditions caught out several drivers.

The Saturday morning session at Barber Motorsports Park unfolded as a dramatic showcase of adaptability, driver skill and strategic ingenuity, all set against the unpredictable backdrop of Alabama’s spring weather.

David Malukas piloting the #4 AJ Foyt Chevy emerged as the standout performer in second Barber practice, mastering the shifting conditions to set the fastest lap of the session and stamp his authority on a field packed with talent and ambition.

The day began under the threat of rain with the track surface damp and the skies overcast. This set the tone for a session where tire choice and timing would prove crucial.

Teams and drivers faced a constantly evolving circuit, with the grip levels changing lap by lap as the surface alternated between drying patches and fresh bursts of rain.

Drivers pushed hard to find the limits of adhesion, some opting to gamble on slicks as the track began to show signs of drying while others hedged their bets with wet-weather compounds in anticipation of further rain.

The opening exchanges saw a flurry of fast laps with Louis Foster briefly holding the top spot with a 1:08.5567, only to be eclipsed as the session wore on and the track continued to evolve.

David Malukas seized his moment with a blistering lap of 1:08.1661 demonstrating not only raw speed but also an intuitive feel for the treacherous conditions. His performance was a testament to both his driving acumen and the AJ Foyt Racing team’s ability to dial in a car capable of extracting maximum pace from the challenging surface.

Malukas’s lap was a mere 0.0297 seconds quicker than reigning series points leader Alex Palou who underscored his own wet-weather prowess with a composed and rapid run of 1:08.1958.

Behind the leading duo, Christian Lundgaard continued his impressive form clocking a 1:08.3082 to secure third on the timesheets.

Will Power slotted into fourth with a 1:08.5496 while Louis Foster’s early flyer was good enough to keep him in the top five by the end of the session. Scott McLaughlin took sixth closely followed by Robert Shwartzman and Santino Ferrucci, the latter making the most of AJ Foyt Racing’s strong showing on the day.

Kyle Kirkwood and Conor Daly rounded out the top ten, each demonstrating the consistency and aggression required to thrive in such unpredictable conditions.

Further down the order, Barber practice 2 was punctuated by a series of incidents and near-misses as drivers explored the razor’s edge between speed and disaster.

Pato O’Ward always a force to be reckoned with found himself in trouble at Turn 17, losing control and making contact with the tire barriers.

Fortunately, he emerged unscathed but the incident curtailed his running and left him languishing near the bottom of the timesheets with a best lap of 1:10.8798 from just seven laps completed.

Marcus Ericsson experienced a hair-raising moment of his own, narrowly avoiding a flip after a wild ride through the gravel. While the Swede managed to avoid serious damage, the incident disrupted his rhythm and left him with a best time of 1:09.5013, good enough for twentieth overall.

Josef Newgarden, one of Team Penske’s heavy hitters, endured a frustrating session as his crew grappled with electrical issues that kept him sidelined for much of the running. When he finally did take to the track, it was during the wettest phase of the session, limiting his opportunity to set a representative lap time.

Newgarden completed just eight laps, his best effort a distant 1:23.9190, leaving him anchored to the bottom of the standings but at least providing the team with a valuable systems check ahead of qualifying.

MORE INDYCAR:

Ericsson dominates Barber IndyCar practice 1

2025 IndyCar Barber Practice 2 Results