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Milka in Malaysia talks about Racing For Kids

The good word about Racing For Kids recently spread to Malaysia as IndyCar®


driver Milka Duno talked about her work with the charity in an interview with the Malaysian edition of The Star Online news source. Duno was in Malaysia to speak at the Sixth Women of Independence Conference at the JW Marriot Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.


During the interview with reporter Wong Li Za, Milka talked about her involvement with Racing For Kids. "Hospital visits form the heart of the programme and in my role as a ‘driver ambassador,’ I spend time with sick children in areas where I race." she said in the article. She went on to talk about her great concern for children’s health and education.


Milka, who is a three-year veteran of the Racing For Kids team of celebrity drivers, just signed a full season contract with Dale Coyne Racing.


From Malaysia Star-


Milka Way


MILKA Duno initially did not think much of a Porsche driving clinic she attended in 1998 at the invitation of a friend. However, the naval engineer was immediately fascinated by the precision and mechanics of motor sports, and found that racing stimulated her passion for challenge and competition.Today, Duno is one of the leading female race car drivers in the world with eight, top-level professional career race wins to her name.


In only her second year of racing in 2000, Duno won her first series championship (Panoz GT Series) and was named Venezuelan Auto Racing Driver of the Year.She was the first woman to win a Ferrari Challenge race and the prestigious Petit Le Mans race, and the first female to score points at the Europe’s World Series Light by Nissan Championship.


Duno, 37, was also the first Hispanic woman to compete in the prestigious Indy 500 and IndyCar Series, and the first woman to drive the fastest cars in the Rolex Series, Open Telefonica World Series and American Le Man Series.


"Speed is certainly an exciting aspect for me, but more than that is the precision and engineering involved in racing that captivated me. "It fits perfectly with my desire as a young woman to be involved in engineering. It is the challenge of incorporating all these aspects that fascinates me," she said, in explaining her love for the sport.


Last year, Duno was named the 2009 National Hispanic Woman of the Year by the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation. In January this year, she was inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame, becoming the first Venezuelan athlete to earn a spot there.


"It was an incredible honour for me and I see it as a privilege and a responsibility. As a Hall of Famer, I will continue to work hard in my sport and to give back to the community. I’m also especially proud to be the first athlete from my country to be inducted!" she said via e-mail.


Without a doubt, success in the world of motor racing demands hard work. Duno feels that, in addition, drivers need to learn something from each race. "You must take advantage of every opportunity when it presents itself. As a driver, you are part of a team and you need to work in synergy with the entire team to deliver the best results," she said.


Being in the male-dominated world of racing poses no issue to her. "It’s not so much a male-dominated sport anymore and it really doesn’t make a difference to me. Once I put my helmet on and strap myself in the car, I am a driver. Not a female driver, not a male driver, just a driver. The other drivers don’t care whether you are female or male. They see you as just another driver that they want to beat!"


Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Duno currently resides in Miami, Florida. She has four master’s degrees in Organisational Development, Naval Architecture, Fishing and Aquaculture, and Maritime Business, earning the last three degrees simultaneously.


Duno is also involved in the Racing for Kids Programme (founded in Detroit, the United States, in 1989), designed to use the increasing popularity of motor sports to focus public attention and funding on the health care needs of children. "Hospital visits form the heart of the programme and in my role as a ‘driver ambassador’, I spend time with sick children in areas where I race," she said.


Children’s education is another thing Duno is very passionate about. Her children’s book Go, Milka, Go! hit stores in 2007 and depicts her as a cartoon character teaching the importance of education to children.


The book was awarded the Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation Book of 2009 at the 11th Annual International Latino Book Awards. In 2007, Duno also starred in Speed Racer, her first major motion picture, playing the role of Kellie "Gearbox", a race car driver. "We shot my part in Berlin and the process was so incredibly interesting. I learned so much about this art form that I never knew before. I was part of the wonderfully creative process of film-making and my life has been enriched because of it."


Is a movie career something she will pursue?


"Right now, my focus is on racing. Off the track, my focus is on my Milka Way programme. A movie career is not something I’m actively pursuing at this moment but should another opportunity come along, I would certainly consider it."


Duno created the Milka Way programme six years ago, with the mission to inspire children and young adults to achieve academic excellence. "I created the programme out of a desire to give something back. I’ve been very blessed in my life and much of that is because of the message my parents instilled in me, which was the value of hard work and the benefits of academic excellence.


"A strong education is an asset that will benefit you not just in the career you choose but in all areas of your life," she said. – By Wong Li Za