Milka Duno First Hispanic Female Driver in NASCAR

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In: Xfinity Series News

RAB Racing has signed multiple race-winning driver Milka Duno to compete in select races in the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series. With the entry, Duno will become the first Hispanic female driver in history to compete in a NASCAR national series in the United States.

 

A successful driver who has competed in multiple racing series, Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype), in the American Le Mans Series, in the Grand American Rolex Series, and the highest finish ever by a female driver (second place) in the 24 Hours at Daytona in the now 52-year history of the race.

When she won the Rolex Series Grand Prix of Miami, she became the first woman in history to win a major international race in the USA.

 

In 2007, Duno was also the first Hispanic female driver in the now 103-year history of the race to qualify for and compete in the world famous Indianapolis 500. Duno competed in the Indianapolis 500 three consecutive seasons and in the IndyCar Series for four consecutive seasons, running partial schedules in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and a full schedule in 2010.

 

In making her transition to stock car racing and her ultimate entry into NASCAR, Duno has been competing in the ARCA Racing Series (ARCA) for the past three seasons. In 2011 and 2012 she competed in partial schedules and in 2013, her first full ARCA season. She finished the season seventh in the driver point standings and became the second highest finishing female driver in ARCA’s 62-year history. Duno is also the first Hispanic female driver to compete in ARCA.

 

At Talladega Superspeedway she earned the pole and led the race, becoming the first Hispanic female driver to earn an ARCA pole. She also became only the fourth female driver in ARCA history, and the second female driver in 25 years to earn an ARCA pole at Talladega. Duno finished her 2013 ARCA season third in most laps completed and third in hard charger points.

 

“I’m really very excited and honored to enter into NASCAR and the Nationwide Series,” said Duno. “It has always been a goal and dream of mine to compete in NASCAR and I worked very hard in ARCA to turn this goal into a reality. I always strive to challenge myself as a driver and I’ve been fortunate to compete in many types of racing – and while the competition is always my number one focus – I am very proud of the history that I have made as a female driver, and the Hispanic sports history as well, that has been made along the way.” Added Duno, “NASCAR is the most competitive and popular racing series in the USA and I’m very proud to enter the series with RAB Racing and I look forward to competing with them in their No. 29 Toyota Camry.”

 

Veteran crew chief Chris Rice will helm Duno’s NNS effort. In 2013, Rice lead RAB Racing’s No. 99 Toyota Camry to two poles, two top-5 finishes, and six top-10 finishes.

 

“We’ve watched Milka develop in the ARCA Racing Series and feel she is prepared for the next step in her stock car racing career,” said RAB Racing owner Robby Benton. “I think that working together with Chris Rice, Milka can find a home in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. She has a very strong fan base and we hope we can attract them to follow her in her NASCAR endeavors. Milka is very intelligent and educated and we look forward to working with her.”

 

The NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) has established itself as the No. 2 motorsports series in the United States, second only to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). The NNS represents the middle ring in NASCAR’s national series, situated between the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

 

The NASCAR Nationwide Series had proven to be an outstanding series for up-and-coming competitors who aspire to become NSCS drivers, with a number of today’s premier series stars having developed their skills in the NNS series over the years.

 

RAB Racing PR

Speedway Digest Staff
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