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Milka Duno has attracted attention worldwide for her racing talents and educational background. The 2000 Venezuelan Auto Racing Driver of the Year is a naval engineer with four master's degrees -- in Organizational Development, Naval Architecture, Maritime Business and Marine Biology. She earned the last three simultaneously.

Duno's path to being a successful female racer was far from typical. In 1998, Duno was invited by a friend to participate in a Porsche Driving Clinic. The rest, as they say - is history. In 2007, she scored a second-place finish in the 24 Hours At Daytona - earning the highest finish ever by a female driver in the 45-year history of the race. She also made history by becoming the first Latina to qualify and race in the Indianapolis 500.

Duno also had the role of Kellie "Gearbox," a race car driver, in the movie that is based on the 1960's classic anime series "Speed Racer." She has published a book about the importance of education that is aimed at grade- and middle-school students and travels extensively to promote the benefits of education.

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

First start: April 29, 2007 (Kansas Speedway)

2010
• Finished 23rd in IZOD IndyCar Series standings for Dale Coyne Racing despite missing Indianapolis 500.
• Recorded three consecutive 19th-place finishes at Chicagoland, Kentucky and Motegi for season highs.
• Had best start of 17th at Texas.

2009
• Competed in nine races for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with a high finish of 16th at Kansas.
• Recorded IndyCar Series career-best start of 12th at Kansas. 

2008
• Competed in 11 races for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with a high finish of 14th at Chicagoland finale.
• Led first career laps (five) at Chicagoland.
• Highest-finishing female in 92nd Indianapolis 500 (19th).

2007
• Competed in seven races in limited schedule for SAMAX Motorsport.
• Became third female driver to start an IndyCar Series race when he debuted at Kansas.
• Finished second in Bombardier Learjet Rookie of the Year standings.
• Finished a career-best 11^th in Texas, improving eight positions.

ROAD TO THE IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

2006
• Finished 23rd in Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class, with best finish of seventh at Laguna Seca and Infineon.

2005
• Finished 12th in Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class, scoring overall victory at Mont Tremblant.

2004
• Finished fifth in Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class, scoring two overall victories at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Became first woman in history to win overall major international sportscar race in North America with first victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Earned victory in LMP 675 Class at Petit Le Mans.

2003
• Competed in World Series by Nissan.
• Invited by Porsche to compete as a VIP Driver in the Porsche Supercup race as part of the Grand Prix of Spain.
• Competed in Toyota Pro/Celebrity race as part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

2002
• Competed in Open Telefonica World Series Light Division and drove final two World Series by Nissan events, becoming first woman to race in the series.
• Competed in 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP 900 class.

2001
• Finished second in Ameican Le Mans Series LMP 675 class with four victories, including the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
• Finished sixth in class, driving Dodge Viper at Rolex 24 at Daytona.
• Competed in 24 Hours of Le Mans.
• Became the first woman to score points in Open Telefonica series.

2000
• Won the Panoz GT Series Championship.
• Competed in the Barber Dodge Pro Series.
• Won Ferrari Challenge race at Road Atlanta, becoming the first woman to win a Ferrari Challenge race in the United States, and scored two other podiums.
• Named "Venezuelan Driver of the Year."

1999
• Finished third in the Women's Global GT Series Championship.
• Competed in the Barber Dodge 2000 series.

1998
• Finished fourth in Venezuelan Porsche Supercup Championship with two podium finishes.
• Competed in the Barber Dodge 2000 series.

Early Career
• Competed in Venezuelan club racing in 1996-1997, finishing second in the Venezuelan GT Championship.