Race Report: Java House Grand Prix of Monterey

MONTEREY, Calif. (July 27, 2025) -- Cool temps and sunny skies shined on the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey but the beautiful weather didn't alleviate the AJ Foyt Racing drivers' frustration afterwards.

David Malukas started sixth in the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet on primary tires. However, inside of 10 laps, of which the first four were under caution for a tangle between Kyffin Simpson and Felix Rosenqvist, Malukas had dropped to eighth. He pitted a bit early in the fuel window coming in on lap 21 for used alternate ('reds') tires and a front wing adjustment. He cycled back up to 10th by his second stop and up to seventh before his third stop. However, he was running 18th when the final round of stops started on lap 69. He pitted on lap 72 for his lone set of new reds. He was up to 15th when his teammate Santino Ferrucci got drilled by Alexander Rossi and lost four positions, dropping to 17th. Malukas advanced to 13th and finished there, retaining his 10th place in the NTT INDYCAR Series standings.

Post-race debrief with race engineer James Schnabel (L), Malukas, performance engineer Collin Hendershot and driver coach Luke Varley (far right).

“For some reason we did not have a race car today," Malukas said. "We kind of figured that out after the first four or five laps, so we knew it was going to be survival till the end. So just praying and holding on and trying to make it out. Very thankful that we managed to come out with the P 13. There were some crashes at the end that pulled us forward. Obviously need to get our heads down, study what's going on with these road courses this year. A lot of work to do.”

Santino Ferrucci started 20th in the No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet. He was running 13th by the time of his first pit stop on lap 23 when he shed his primary tires and took on alternates, which proved to be the tire of choice. He ran in 13th for most of the race, advancing as high as eighth during pit stop cycles. Following the incident with Rossi which cost Ferrucci four spots, he regained one position before locking up his rear tires and spinning off course in Turn 8, bringing out the fifth and final caution on lap 85 of the 95-lap race. By the time the safety team pulled him out of the gravel trap, he lost a lap. He pitted for new tires because of flat-spotting his tires in the spin and finished 22nd which dropped him from 12th to 13th in the standings.

Post-race assessment with (L to R): Larry Foyt, tech director Mike Armbrester, race engineer Adam Kolesar, crew chief Steve McKenzie and Ferrucci.

“Overall, really long stretch of four weekends in a row, just really happy for it to be over," said Ferrucci,

the frustration clearly written on his face. "The only thing that went right were our pit stops. Guys were good in the pits. Otherwise, it was just terrible and unlucky; we finished it off with the same exact streak that we started with. We've had pace here and there but we just haven't been good. And I think we need to sit down and really understand what was wrong over the next week that we have off and come back to Portland really strong.”

Alex Palou won his eighth race of the season and all but clinched his fourth title in five years. Christian Lundgaard and Colton Herta joined him on the podium while Pato O'Ward and Scott Dixon rounded out the top five.

The teams get a much-needed break with next weekend off. They return to action in Portland, Ore. for the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland which will be broadcast on FOX on Sunday, August 10th starting at 3 p.m. ET.

Santino's helmet featured the image of actor (and former mayor of Carmel-By-The-Sea) Clint Eastwood for this race.