Thursday, March 4, 2010

Duno Finds Fulltime IndyCar Ride with Dale Coyne Racing


Photo Credit: IndyCar Media


For 2010, a second female racer will compete in the full 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule. After three season's of part-time competition amounting in 27 race starts, Venezuelan driver Milka Duno has signed on to wheel the #18 Dale Coyne Racing ride. Making her adventure into running the entire IndyCar calender in 2010, Duno will be competing within several events for the first time in her career including the Twin-Ring Motegi and the Streets of St Petersburg rounds. Within the release announcing Milka Duno's plans, the driver deeply looks forward this opportunity with Dale Coyne Racing becoming a career builder. "For the past three seasons I’ve only run partial schedules and I’m anxious to be competing in all the races this year. Doing so builds momentum and maintains consistency that I feel is a key factor to good results." Duno responded.

Having started her career at a somewhat late 24 years old, Milka Duno in the United States for the first time with the Barber Dodge 2000 Series. Duno's racing career hit a high-note through sports car racing in Grand Am, American Le Mans Series and the Ferrari Challenge where she became the first woman to win that race in the US. From 2001 to 2006, Duno's highlights included co-driving the LMP675 class winning car at the Petit Le Mans and involvement with 3 Daytona Prototype victories in Grand Am competition. Stepping away from sports car racing in after the 2006 season saw Milka Duno once again competing in open wheel racing. Entering the IndyCar Series with Venezuela oil company CITGO funding Duno's effort, her first season involved SAMAX Motorsport before moving to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing where she spent the past two seasons.

A long-time fixture in American open wheel, Dale Coyne Racing breakthrough victory in 2009 at Waltkin Glen has earned the race team an honourable mention in the IZOD IndyCar paddock for the upcoming season. Naming Milka Duno to the #18, team owner Dale Coyne is going to announce a driver next week for the #19 car.

Duno's addition to the 2010 IZOD IndyCar series race in the streets of Sao Paulo will bring the total of female drivers to 3 for the series opening weekend. With Danica Patrick rejoining Andretti Autosport's effort, Duno's former team Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is fielding an extra car for Brazil's Ana Beatriz.

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