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Duno, 35, was one of
three women to race this
year in the 91st
Indianapolis 500. She
only qualified to race
in the Indy Racing
League (IRL) three weeks
before qualifying for
the Indianapolis 500.
Accomplishing the latter
would require more than
a simple lap around the
oval.
Born April 22, 1972,
Duno is the middle child
of three. She has an
older brother, Julio,
and younger brother,
Jorge. Her parents,
Julio, a salesman, and
Milka, a lawyer,
encouraged all their
children to pursue an
education. “Racing [or
beauty pageants] never
even entered my mind,”
she remembers.
Duno credits much of her
success to her own
determination, but she
does add that her mother,
who bore her first child
at age 18 and managed to
complete her education
and have two more
children, was an
inspiration. “My parents
always told us that we
needed to focus on our
education. They said,
‘Education lasts forever,”’
she says. “I think much
of my success is due to
the fact that my parents
encouraged that, as well
as good principles and
values.”
In
college, she focused on
math and science,
eventually earning a
naval engineering degree
in 1992 from the
Instituto Universal
Politécnico de Fuerzas
Armadas Nacional. She
continued her pursuit of
a military career and
attended the Universidad
Católica Andres Bello in
Venezuela to complete a
master’s degree in
organizational
development. She
received a scholarship
to the Escuela Técnica
Superior de Ingenieros
Navales (ETSIN) in
Madrid. She spent the
next two-and-a-half
years at ETSIN, as well
as at the Instituto
Maritimo Español to
complete three more
master’s degrees in
naval architecture,
maritime business, and
fishing and agriculture.
Fully educated and set
on a career path in the
navy, Duno returned to
Caracas. In 1998,
however, fate stepped in
to turn her life around
when a friend invited
her to a Porsche car
club event. She had
never raced but she
opted to participate in
the amateur-racing event.
She came in 2nd place.
“I knew from that moment
that this is what I
wanted to do,” she says.
“I believe it was my
destiny.”
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Fully educated
and set on a
career path in
the navy, Duno
returned to
Caracas. In
1998, however,
fate stepped in
to turn her life
around when a
friend invited
her to a Porsche
car club event.
She had never
raced but she
opted to
participate in
the amateur-racing
event. She came
in 2nd place. “I
knew from that
moment that this
is what I wanted
to do,” she says.
“I believe it
was my destiny.”
Her parents were
not so sure.
“They thought I
was crazy. After
working so hard
to get my
education they
couldn’t believe
that I wanted to
race cars
instead,” she
admits. Their
concern was not
exaggerated.
Non-racing fans
may consider the
sport more
grueling on the
car than the
driver, but it’s
a mentally and
physically
demanding
endeavor.
Her parents
certainly
support their
daughter now and
have traveled to
see Duno race.
In hindsight,
she admits that
her education,
particularly the
engineering
background, has
been a bonus in
her career. “I
don’t think I
would have
progressed as
quickly as I
have if I didn’t
have the
mechanical
knowledge I have,”
she admits. “I
came to the
sport very
prepared.”
She also knew
when to admit
that she needed
to further her
education.
Additional club
victories
inspired her to
travel to the
United States in
1998 to attend
the prestigious
Skip Barber
Racing School.
Her first
encounter with
the IRL came a
year later, when
she attended a
pre-race
practice as a
spectator.
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“I
was sitting in the Turn
4 grandstand and
watching all the cars go
so fast,” she remembers.
“I was telling myself at
that moment, ‘I want to
one day drive one of
those cars.’ Many people
were saying it’s
impossible, but I wasn’t
thinking that. I have
confidence in myself.
I’m a fast learner.”
At
the time, Duno was
already participating in
the American Le Mans
Series (ALMS). Modeled
after the 24-hour Le
Mans race in France,
this series is composed
of 10 races held across
the country. Duno
accumulated multiple
victories in the ALMS,
becoming the first woman
to win a Ferrari
Challenge race in the
U.S. and taking 3rd
place in the ALMS in
2004.
She joined the SAMAX
race team last year and
this year, the team
decided to add IRL to
its racing schedule.
They needed a driver,
however, and Duno, the
only female on the team,
was the only one to
qualify on April 27 of
this year. She competed
in her first IndyCar
race the following
Monday in the Kansas
Lottery Indy 300 where
she finished in 14th
place. Weeks later, she
was off to qualify for
the Indianapolis 500.
What would prove to be
ominous in retrospect,
Duno crashed her #23
CITGO Dallara Honda in
Turn One during
qualifying and almost
missed getting a second
chance to make it. She
had already been clocked
at a speed of 213 mph.
Days later, with her car
repaired and with one
final chance to qualify,
Duno increased her
average speed to 219 mph.
Thirty hours later,
after all the other
racers had completed
their qualifying laps,
Duno learned that she
would start in 29th
place at Indy.
“When I crashed, I felt
so bad but everyone was
very supportive
including the team, the
IndyCar series, all the
wonderful fans in
Indianapolis, my sponsor
CITGO and many of the
other drivers,” she says
at the time. “This is
the most amazing day of
my racing career. I have
never experienced so
much pressure over the
last week or so much
tension than the last
two days. Everyone
worked so hard and we
never stopped believing
and now we are in!”
As
the name implies, the
race is made up of 200
laps of the 2.5 mile-long
oval track for a total
distance of 500 miles.
This year, the race
ended prematurely, due
to rainy conditions.
Starting in the 29th
position, Duno climbed
to 22nd place but 65
laps into the race, she
crashed again in Turn
One, ending in 31st
place.
“I’m so proud of Milka
for exceeding everyone’s
expectations coming into
Indianapolis,” says
Peter Baron, SAMAX team
owner. “This has to be
the hardest track for
any driver and despite
the setback in the first
week, she really proved
what a strong character
she is to bounce back
and qualify.”
For Duno, it remains one
of the most memorable
racing experiences she’s
had to date. “To be the
first Latina made it
special for me and to be
one of three women
helped demonstrate that
women have the ability
to do anything they want
to do, once they decide
to do it,” she says.
More women in racing
will undoubtedly
increase the sport’s fan
base. Duno will add many
Latinos and Latinas to
the mix. “She’s
attractive, has a
tremendous racing
background and has as
many master’s degrees as
wheels on her IndyCar,”
says Doug Fritz,
president of Richmond
International Raceway
where the SunTrust Indy
Challenge takes place.
“She’s a promoter’s
dream.”
For young Latinas who
want to pursue a racing
career, Duno repeats her
parent’s advice. “To
young women as well as
men, I say get your
education. It will last
forever.” As to the
realities of racing, she
admits that competing in
a man’s world can be
intimidating but her
determination and
preparedness propel her
forward. “Racing is so
difficult. There are so
many factors, from the
car, to the crew, to
luck; you can’t let
anyone intimidate you. I
don’t pay attention to
what other people think.
You have to be confident
and remember that the
reason you’re there is
because you chose to be
there.”
Duno will compete in 10
IndyCar races through
September. For now,
training and other work
obligations keep her
busy, and single. Living
in Miami, however does
have its perks. When
Duno gets the chance to
relax, she spends time
at the beach.
As for the future, she
prefers to concentrate
on the present, a work-related
habit. Speeding along an
oval at more than 200
mph requires the driver
to be in the moment at
all times. From her
perspective, “If I work
hard in the present,
I’ll have a successful
future.” She still has
dreams and aspirations
but in Duno’s world, a
mind that wanders too
much, rarely wins the
race.
By
Valerie Menard |
