Duno Third Woman in Indy 500
Venezuela’s Milka Duno qualified for her first Indianapolis 500 here Saturday, becoming the record third woman driver to make the field for the US oval racing classic.
Duno was among 10 drivers who qualified in Saturday’s third session of time trials, achieving a four-lap qualifying average of 219.228 mph (350.764 k/hr) to join US racers Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher in the landmark female trio.
“It was a lot of tension, a lot of pressure. It’s just Indy,” Duno said. “I was trying to do the best because of the pressure.”
Duno took a starting spot in the middle of the 10th row, the fourth-slowest qualifier of the third Indy time trials session, well back of pole sitter Helio Castroneves of Brazil, who claimed the top spot a week ago.
Duno, 35, must now withstand Sunday’s “bump day”, the final qualifying session in which slower cars will be replaced in the 33-car field for the May 27 race, the 91st edition of the Indy-car spectacular.
Should Duno be knocked out of the lineup, she would have the chance to qualify faster and reclaim a spot in the field. And US racers Jimmy Kite and Marty Roth and Brazilian Roberto Moreno will be bumped before Duno would.
“We’re still working. We still care about what the others are doing. Things can change all the time. If we have to go again, we go again,” Duno said.
“I was feeling very good. We have a very good car. We can still go faster.”
After racing an Indy-car for the first time three weeks ago, Duno has adapted and learned at the sport’s toughest venue, the famed 2 1/2-mile Indy oval where every turn offers a different challenge.
“I adjusted every time. I learn fast,” Duno said. “You need to adjust. This track is really difficult. It changes really fast. You can have a good car in the morning and by the afternoon it’s not so good.
“Each time I feel more confident, more comfortable. In more time I will be completely OK.”
Asian-American Roger Yasukawa was the fastest qualifier Saturday to claim the 23rd starting spot, followed in order by John Andretti, Al Unser Jnr, Alex Barron, Jon Herb, Jacques Lazier, Duno, Roth, Moreno and Kite.
One vacancy, the final starting spot on the outside of row 11, will be filled Sunday before bumping begins.
Milka Duno, IRL, IndyCar, Sports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle
Gender has nothing to do with my objection, TG is letting too many inexperienced “drivers” onto the grid. I find incredible that with such little seat time a driver could start that event in a 33 car grid.
Qualifying is one thing, racing in a pack (& being lapped by the front runners) at those speeds for 500 miles is a totally different thing. It seems like anybody with a budget can pull a ride. Scary thought, she (& others) are less prepared for oval racing than Paul Dana was in his first season. Without wishing to speak ill of the dead, it is not uncharitable to say that Dana was out of his depth. Were it not for the budget he provided he would never have earned a ride in a team like RLR.
got milka?
peterg makes a very good point… first time in an Indy-car only 3 weeks ago and vying for a spot in one of the largest and most popular racing venues in the world… I wish her all the best but Godspeed Milka
It just makes it easier for a Penske, Ganassi or dare I say it, an AGR car to win. All others are merely rolling chicanes that hopefully will not get anyone hurt or worse.