The Aviator Mustang

Birthday: April 22, 1972

Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela

Residence: Miami

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, Milka 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.

INDYCAR SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

First start: April 29, 2007 (Kansas Speedway)

2008

● Competed in 11 races for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with a high finish of 14th at Chicagoland finale.

● Led first career laps (5) at Chicagoland.

● Highest-finishing female in 92nd Indianapolis 500 (19th).

2007
● Finished 20^th in IndyCar Series standings running a 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 INDYCAR SERIES

2006
● Finished 23^rd 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.