David Malukas airlifted to hospital after heavy crash at Music City Grand Prix finale

IndyCar driver was awake and alert after a lap-88 collision that sent his car into the wall; Louis Foster received a drive-through penalty.

David Malukas was airlifted to a local trauma center for precautionary evaluation after a violent crash Sunday during the Music City Grand Prix finale at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., race officials said. The incident occurred on the 88th lap when Malukas attempted an overtaking move on British rookie Louis Foster, and the two cars made contact, sending Malukas spinning into the top of the wall and striking it with the rear of his car.

Track personnel reached Malukas at the scene and assisted him from the car before he was transported by medical helicopter, television coverage showed. IndyCar medical advisor Dr. Julia Vaizer told Fox Sports during the broadcast that Malukas was "doing well. He's awake, he's alert, he's in really good spirits. We're just sending him down to our trauma center for some precautionary evaluation and advanced imaging."

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The crash unfolded as Malukas, running in the main pack late in the race, moved to pass Foster on the outside. Contact between the two cars launched Malukas' machine into a spin that carried it up the banking and into the retaining barrier. Race audio captured Malukas sounding upset on team radio immediately after the impact; he was later removed from the racing surface by safety crews and placed in the care of IndyCar's medical team.

Race stewards assessed the incident and issued Foster a drive-through penalty for his role in the contact. After the race Foster said he had learned Malukas had been taken to a hospital and that his first concern was for the other driver's well-being. "I heard he went to the hospital, so obviously I want to make sure he's OK," Foster told reporters following the event.

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Television coverage showed the response by track safety crews and medical personnel. After the on-track extraction, Malukas was placed aboard a medical helicopter and flown to a nearby trauma center for further assessment and imaging, according to the broadcast and statements from the IndyCar medical team. Vaizer said the transfer to the trauma center was "for some precautionary reasons."

IndyCar's medical protocols call for thorough on-site and hospital evaluations following crashes of significant force. Officials routinely use advanced imaging and specialist consultations to rule out internal injuries and ensure drivers are fit before discharge. Sunday’s incident immediately raised concerns among teams and viewers because of the dramatic nature of the impact and the speed at which it occurred late in the race.

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Malukas, who has competed on the IndyCar circuit, was described on the broadcast as "in good spirits" while en route to the hospital. The team radio transmissions, audible to fans during the race, captured his distress in the moments following the crash, but Vaizer's on-air update offered reassurance about his condition pending the precautionary hospital workup.

The Music City Grand Prix finale, held Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, drew attention late in the event as teams and drivers battled in close quarters on the oval surface at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. The incident involving Malukas and Foster prompted immediate safety and procedural responses from track officials and IndyCar medical staff, who oversee emergency care and transport when necessary.

Officials had not released a detailed medical update on Malukas' condition beyond the initial statements from the broadcast and medical team as of late Sunday. The series typically issues further information through team channels or its official communications once hospital evaluations are complete and with the driver's consent.

Foster's drive-through penalty was handled under race regulations governing on-track contact. Stewards review incidents in real time and can issue penalties intended to address avoidable contact or unsafe maneuvers. Foster, identified in coverage as a British rookie, expressed concern after the race, and series representatives said they would continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as available.

Crashes of this nature revive attention to safety equipment and circuit protections, subjects long emphasized by IndyCar and its partners. Modern cockpits, restraint systems, and rapid-response medical teams have reduced the incidence of life-threatening injuries in many high-speed incidents, and officials routinely review each significant event for lessons that could further improve driver safety. Sunday’s response, featuring on-track medical intervention and a helicopter transfer to a trauma center, followed those established protocols.

As the race weekend concluded, attention shifted from the competitive results to Malukas' recovery and the conduct of the incident. Teams, officials and fellow drivers typically await full medical clearances before commenting further or discussing any potential sporting consequences. IndyCar did not provide an immediate timetable for additional updates, and no further medical details were confirmed by the team or league in early reports.

Race organizers and the series will likely examine video and telemetry from the incident as part of the standard post-race review. Those reviews inform stewarding decisions, driver safety assessments and any potential procedural recommendations. For now, the central fact reported by the series' medical advisor — that Malukas was "awake" and "alert" and was being taken for precautionary advanced imaging — remained the primary official update on his condition following the late-race collision.