Catchfence » Milka Duno

Milka Duno Launches New Milkaway.com Website

Press Release — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:07:48 +0000

Milka Way Logo

Race car driver Milka Duno has launched a new website designed to showcase her Milka Way program, whose mission it is to inspire children and young students to “Aim for the Stars” and achieve academic excellence.

The new site, at www.milkaway.com, discusses the educational outreach program and shows many images of Milka Way visits with children and young students around the world.

Started in 2004, the primary objective of the Milka Way program is to inspire and motivate children and young students to study hard in school, pursue every educational opportunity available to them and strive for academic excellence.

In speaking to children and young students directly via the Milka Way visits, and through her book “Go, Milka, Go!” Duno gives insights and tells stories about her own life and her academic and professional goals and accomplishments as an example of what can be achieved with hard work and determination.

This personal interaction with children and young students has shown to be wonderfully effective and both inspires and motivates them in a direct and impactful way.

The “Testimonials” section of the website displays letters from children and young students and statements from educators that reflect the effectiveness and success of the concept and the program.

Milka Way visits have occurred at elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, junior colleges, colleges and universities. Each Milka Way visit is customized to the size and age level of the audience. Milka Way visits are also customized in conjunction with school officials’ requests for specialized emphasis. They can also be customized for student specialties/groups – such as in the areas of science, math, engineering and technology.

As a qualified Naval Engineer with four master’s degrees – in Organizational Development, Naval Architecture, Aquaculture and Maritime Business – earning the last three degrees simultaneously – Duno is a big believer in the value of education.

Milka Duno

“I am very passionate about education and I want to do everything that I can to inspire children and young students to study hard and aim for the stars!” says Duno. “Milka Way gives me an opportunity to try and inspire and motivate them to focus on their education by helping them understand that a strong academic background will benefit them for their entire life – in all aspects of their life – and in any career they choose.”

Duno has taken this message to children, young students, parents and teachers at all school levels around the world – including her home country of Venezuela, Malaysia, Canada, Japan, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and all across the United States.

The new website, in its “Academic Excellence” section, gives Duno a wonderful opportunity to highlight and celebrate the successes of some of her Milka Way fans – and she invites parents and teachers to send in images of their children and young students that are achieving!

The site’s extensive gallery offers visitors many images to view as well as several videos on and about Milka Way visits.

MilkaWay.com also offers a simple way for those that are interested to order Duno’s award-winning children’s book “Go, Milka, Go,” a way to inquire about hosting a Milka Way visit or corporate speaking engagement and an invitation to become a promotional partner, sponsor or supporter of the Milka Way effort.

In the coming weeks the Spanish version of the new MilkaWay.com website will debut.

- Milka Duno Public Relations / RacePR / CapehartPR Press Release

Milka Duno and Sheltra Motorsports Team Impress in ARCA Racing Series Testing at Daytona International Speedway

Press Release — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:08:21 +0000

Sheltra Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec 19, 2011) – Milka Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team left a solid impression after three days of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards testing at Daytona International Speedway last weekend. Setting fast time in two separate sessions, Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team often found themselves atop the speed charts at the famed 2.5-mile oval, proving they will be a team to watch when the ARCA Racing Series makes their return to Daytona in February for the season opening event.

“The team gave me a good car to drive and together we were able to get around the track pretty good,” said Duno. “We needed Friday to sort some things out and when we hit the track on Saturday our results in the morning session put us on top and it showed that we were definitely heading in the right direction. Sunday was yet another good day for us as we very nearly topped the charts in the morning session and did top the charts in the second and last session. We did what we expected to do; what we are capable of doing. It was a good test.”

Duno and her No. 63 team rolled into Daytona early Friday morning to begin the first day of testing and were eager to get started as they would, for the first time in their history, be racing with a Ford Fusion. This proved to be a challenge at first for Duno and team as they ended Friday with a fast time of 49.787 seconds (180.770 mph), 20th among the 53 drivers to make laps around Daytona’s famed high-banks, but there would be no harder working team and that paid off as they continued to find speed with every change made throughout the weekend.

The No. 63 Sheltra Motorsports Ford Fusion driven by Milka Duno at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway

During Saturday morning’s session, the third of six scheduled sessions, Duno and her Dave Leiner Jr.-led team saw all that hard work pay off as she set the fastest time of all three sessions, circling the 2.5-mile track in 48.383 seconds (186.016 mph). This would be the quickest of the weekend’s single car run testing sessions. Duno topped more than 50 different drivers who made laps throughout the session.

ARCA Racing Series officials opened up the Saturday afternoon session for drafting, and Duno proved her quick time was no fluke, as she backed up her morning run with a time of 48.166 seconds (186.854) for what would be her fastest lap time of Daytona testing.

Milka Duno

Sunday morning would be another busy day for the Sheltra Motorsports team, but again they proved what a fast Ford Fusion they had at “The World Center of Racing.” Holding the top time for much of the morning session, Duno actually helped Buster Graham’s No. 88 get the top speed as she pushed him to the fastest time of the day while working together in the draft. Duno ended the session second on the charts, only six thousands of a second behind Graham.

In the sixth and final session on Sunday afternoon, after 21 hours of on-track action, Duno again put her No. 63 Ford atop the speed charts, pacing the superspeedway in a time of 48.340 seconds (186.181 mph). By taking the top time in Sunday’s final practice session, Duno became the only driver, among more than 50, to lead two of the six test sessions at Daytona International Speedway.

“We really got a lot accomplished this weekend,” said Crew Chief Dave Leiner Jr. “We didn’t know exactly what we had when we first pulled into Daytona Friday morning, but the guys on the team did a great job and really got our Ford Fusion to where it needed to be. We have great Roush/Yates horsepower under the hood as well. Milka did a great job giving me feedback all weekend, and we really got the car dialed in. I am looking forward to returning here for the race in February. I believe that Milka and the entire Sheltra Motorsports team will be very competitive and put on a good show.”

About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports, established in 2007, is in the midst of its fifth season of ARCA Racing Series competition. Owned by Florida-native, Patrick Sheltra, the owner-driver team captured the 2010 ARCA Racing Series driver and owner’s championship titles on the strength of two wins, 12 top-fives and 17 top-10 finishes in 20 events. Sheltra Motorsports is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C., with additional operations in Indiana and Florida. For more information, visit www.sheltramotorsports.com.

About Milka Duno:

Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the 48-year history of the race. Go, Milka, Go! – a book about her life and racing career, was awarded the Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation Book of 2009 at the 11th Annual International Latino Book Awards. In 2010, Duno became the first Venezuelan athlete inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Venturini Motorsports Finishes Daytona Test with Top Four Spots; 79 Drivers Take Laps Over Three Days

Press Release — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:25:55 +0000

ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards

Buster Graham and Milka Duno each led sessions over the final day of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open testing at Daytona International Speedway, but Venturini Motorsports ended the weekend with the top four positions on the overall time chart.

Graham’s morning lap of 48.229 seconds (186.61 mph) in the No. 88 Ford gave him the lead in the weekend’s fifth testing session, and in turn the only top 10 time outside of Saturday afternoon’s drafting session. Duno, Jared Marks, Will Kimmel, and Alex Bowman comprised the remainder of the morning top five.

Only 30 cars participated in the last afternoon session, which Duno led with a best lap of 48.34 seconds (186.161 mph). She was followed by Joey Coulter, Brandon McReynolds, Bowman, and Josh Richards. Full speed charts for both Sunday sessions are available at ARCARacing.com.

Overall, Venturini Motorsports ended the weekend with the top positions among 79 drivers who took laps over 21 hours. Bowman’s Saturday afternoon lap of 47.787 seconds (188.336 mph) in the No. 25 Chevrolet will stand as the test’s top effort, just ahead of teammates John Stancill, Brennan Poole, and Ryan Reed. Marks, driving a Tony Marks Racing Dodge, ended the weekend fifth.

Duno’s Saturday afternoon lap in the Sheltra Motorsports Ford ended the test sixth overall, just ahead of Venturini’s Nelson Canache, DC Racing’s Drew Charlson, Graham, and Coulter Motorsports’ Matt Lofton.

The overall weekend results are listed below.

CAR # DRIVER MFG TIME SPEED

1 25a Alex Bowman Chevy 47.787 188.336
2 55 John Stancill Toyota 47.811 188.241
3 25 Brennan Poole Chevy 47.812 188.237
4 15 Ryan Reed Toyota 47.821 188.202
5 12 Jared Marks Dodge 47.832 188.159
6 63 Milka Duno Ford 48.166 186.854
7 35 Nelson Canache Chevy 48.212 186.676
8 51 Drew Charlson Chevy 48.221 186.641
9 88 Buster Graham Ford 48.229 186.610
10 16 Matt Lofton Chevy 48.234 186.590
11 94 Steve Blackburn Chevy 48.245 186.548
12 69a Fain Skinner Ford 48.251 186.525
13 58 Chad Hackenbracht Chevy 48.340 186.181
14 61 Joey Coulter Chevy 48.363 186.093
15 4 Brandon McReynolds Chevy 48.364 186.089
16 32 Chris Windom Toyota 48.380 186.027
17 66 Josh Richards Toyota 48.438 185.805
18 68 Will Kimmel Ford 48.488 185.613
19 08 Ross Chastain Ford 48.569 185.303
20 12 Maryeve Dufault Dodge 48.573 185.288
21 75 Ginny Quinones Toyota 48.674 184.904
22 44 Frank Kimmel Toyota 48.773 184.528
23 6 Cale Gale Chevy 48.803 184.415
24 14 John Ferrier Chevy 48.839 184.279
25 05 Derrike Cope Chevy 48.846 184.253
26 00 Ed Kennedy Chevy 48.865 184.181
27 66 Mark Thompson Toyota 48.931 183.932
28 1 Alli Owens Ford 48.953 183.850
29 90 Zachary Ralston Ford 48.971 183.782
30 29c Bobby Pelland Dodge 49.076 183.389
31 29a Sam Edwards Dodge 49.092 183.329
32 5a Bobby Gerhart Chevy 49.169 183.042
33 82a Sean Corr Ford 49.190 182.964
34 61 T.J. Duke Chevy 49.193 182.953
35 11b Rick Clifton Chevy 49.340 182.408
36 75a Benny Chastain Toyota 49.392 182.216
37 17 Chris Buescher Ford 49.417 182.124
38 29b Sloan Henderson Dodge 49.461 181.962
39 5b Damon Lusk Chevy 49.469 181.932
40 14a Josh Williams Ford 49.609 181.419
41 05 Spencer Gallagher Chevy 49.625 181.360
42 1a Jeremy Petty Chevy 49.725 180.995
43 40a Michelle Therault Dodge 49.745 180.923
44 10a Dennis Strickland Ford 49.793 180.748
45 13 George Cushman Dodge 49.985 180.054
46 69 Chris Brown Ford 50.133 179.522
47 18 Michael Affarano Chevy 50.207 179.258
48 10b Ryan Glenski Chevy 50.223 179.201
49 90a Grant Enfinger Ford 50.258 179.076
50 40t Nick Tucker Dodge 50.390 178.607
51 11 Paul Harraka Chevy 50.403 178.561
52 11c Trevor Edwards Chevy 50.517 178.158
53 10 Derrick Griffin Ford 50.539 178.080
54 1b Thomas Praytor Ford 50.560 178.006
55 11a Ed Pompa Chevy 50.579 177.939
56 29 Bob Bryant Dodge 50.606 177.845
57 11e Sunny Hobbs Chevy 50.617 177.806
58 29d Andy Jones Dodge 50.626 177.774
59 18f Chris Coker Ford 50.640 177.725
60 04c Danny Esposito Dodge 50.651 177.687
61 04 Scott Edwards Dodge 50.695 177.532
62 1c Alexsander Gregory Ford 50.715 177.462
63 40b Trent Mayo Dodge 50.926 176.727
64 04a Juan Carlos Blum Dodge 51.029 176.370
65 40d Larry Barford Dodge 51.054 176.284
66 11d Bill Coffey Ford 51.162 175.912
67 40d Josh Watkins Dodge 51.162 175.912
68 06 Ricky Byers Chevy 51.173 175.874
69 11h James Hylton Ford 51.243 175.634
70 10f Brad Lloyd Chevy 51.257 175.586
71 10b Daryl Eustice Ford 51.277 175.517
72 18c Tyler Speer Chevy 51.348 175.275
73 89 Chris Lafferty Chevy 51.563 174.544
74 40c Ryan Rust Dodge 51.605 174.402
75 7 Brent Cross Chevy 51.792 173.772
76 40 Michael Bockler Dodge 51.795 173.762
77 40b Roger Carter Dodge 51.827 173.655
78 89a Korbin Forrister Chevy 52.314 172.038
79 74 Jimmy Nowell Chevy 60.220 149.452

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will return to central Florida in less than two months, as the February 18 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway will open ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season. The 80-lap, 200-mile race is scheduled as the first of 20 races in 2012 and will air live on SPEED, with additional coverage available at ARCARacing.com.

The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course in its most recent season. This year, the series will visit Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway and Minnesota’s Elko Speedway for the first time; ARCA’s first visit to Minnesota will give ARCA a race in a 29th state.

Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

Milka Duno Claims Fastest Time in Single Car ARCA Racing Series Testing at Daytona International Speedway

Press Release — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:05:20 +0000

The No. 63 Sheltra Motorsports Ford Fusion driven by Milka Duno at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec 17, 2011) - Milka Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team proved they will be a team to watch when the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards visits Daytona International Speedway for the season opener in February. Duno drove her No. 63 Ford Fusion to the top of the speed charts during the Saturday morning test session, topping over 50 other drivers to post the fastest time in the third and final single run session before drafting sessions begin this afternoon.

Circling the famed 2.5 mile superspeedway in a time of 48.383 seconds (186.016 mph), Duno not only set the fastest time in the first day and a half of testing but also tops 2011 ARCA Racing Series Champion Ty Dillon’s pole qualifying effort (48.509 seconds/185.533 mph) from last season’s race at Daytona by almost two tenths of a second.

Milka Duno

“This is what we want; we are working for this,” said Duno. “It is not a surprise. All the guys on the team have been working very hard to find what we can do with the car. Also, when I am on the track, I am driving as hard as I can to run the perfect lap every time. We worked very hard this morning because the car was not responding the way that we wanted it to. Dave (crew chief) and the team changed everything on the car in the morning session, and we finally got it driving the way that we wanted. It was a good result; we are happy with that, but we also expect that every time.”

Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team are set to return to Daytona’s high-banks this afternoon for the first drafting session of the test. Teams have three total sessions left throughout the open test with this afternoon’s session and two more drafting sessions on Sunday.

About Sheltra Motorsports:

About Milka Duno:

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Ryan Reed, Venturini Motorsports Control First Day of ARCA Racing Series Open Testing at Daytona

Press Release — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:28:10 +0000

ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Thumbnail

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) - Ten months after its No. 15 car qualified on the front row for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway, Venturini Motorsports rose to the top of the speed charts again at the “World Center of Racing.”

Ryan Reed drove the No. 15 Toyota to a best lap of 48.857 seconds (184.211 mph) in the second session of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open testing at the 2.5-mile oval, just edging teammates Brennan Poole, John Stancill, and Mark Thompson for the day’s best times. T.J. Duke, driving for Coulter Motorsports, finished the day fifth.

Poole led the three-hour morning period with a best lap of 48.915 seconds, and he and Reed were the only drivers to top that mark in the four-hour afternoon session.

Reed has never competed in the ARCA Racing Series, but is a track champion and super late model Rookie of the Year and race winner at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in California. Just months past his 18th birthday, Reed enters ARCA with three NASCAR K&N Pro Series starts to his credit. In February, as he prepared to move to North Carolina from Bakersfield, Calif., Reed was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Rick Clifton, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year Joey Coulter, Chris Windom, Nelson Canache, and Sloan Henderson filled out the top 10 for the first day. Seven-time and defending Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart ended the day 13th, and 2011 Daytona runner-up and ARCA Rookie of the Year Chris Buescher finished 27th.

Open testing for teams and drivers will continue Saturday and Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

The full list of every driver’s best speed is available below.

CAR # DRIVER TIME SPEED

1 15 Ryan Reed 48.857 184.211
2 25 Brennan Poole 48.862 184.192
3 55 John Stancill 48.921 183.970
4 66 Mark Thompson 48.931 183.932
5 61 T.J. Duke 49.193 182.953
6 11b Rick Clifton 49.340 182.408
7 61 Joey Coulter 49.350 182.371
8 32 Chris Windom 49.360 182.334
9 35 Nelson Canache 49.439 182.043
10 29b Sloan Henderson 49.461 181.962
11 5b Damon Lusk 49.469 181.932
12 82a Sean Corr 49.475 181.910
13 5a Bobby Gerhart 49.502 181.811
14 58 Chad Hackenbracht 49.552 181.627
15 4 Brandon McReynolds 49.553 181.624
16 99 Buster Graham 49.637 181.316
17 14 John Ferrier 49.666 181.210
18 94 Steve Blackburn 49.717 181.025
19 16 Matt Lofton 49.725 180.995
20 00 Ed Kennedy 49.761 180.865
21 12 Jared Marks 49.772 180.825
22 63 Milka Duno 49.787 180.770
23 1 Alli Owens 49.813 180.676
24 69a Fain Skinner 49.862 180.498
25 68 Will Kimmel 50.016 179.942
26 6 Cale Gale 50.034 179.878
27 17a Chris Buescher 50.035 179.874
28 90 Zachary Ralston 50.114 179.591
29 08 Ross Chastain 50.131 179.530
30 69 Chris Brown 50.133 179.522
31 18 Michael Affarano 50.207 179.258
32 10b Ryan Glenski 50.223 179.201
33 90a Grant Enfinger 50.258 179.076
34 75 Ginny Quinones 50.278 179.005
35 11 Paul Harraka 50.403 178.561
36 75a Benny Chastain 50.461 178.356
37 11a Ed Pompa 50.579 177.939
38 11c Trevor Edwards 50.681 177.581
39 04 Scott Edwards 50.695 177.532
40 51 Drew Charlson 50.744 177.361
41 05 Spencer Gallagher 50.903 176.807
42 13 George Cushman 50.928 176.720
43 04a Juan Carlos Blum 51.029 176.370
44 04c Danny Esposito 51.089 176.163
45 11d Bill Coffey 51.162 175.912
46 06 Ricky Byers 51.173 175.874
47 10b Daryl Eustice 51.277 175.517
48 04b Nick Tucker 51.405 175.080
49 40d Larry Barford 51.511 174.720
50 04d Josh Watkins 51.674 174.169
51 40b Roger Carter 51.827 173.655
52 40 Michael Bockler 51.990 173.110
53 05a Derrike Cope 52.067 172.854
54 7 Brent Cross 52.376 171.834

2012 will be the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ 60th Anniversary Season, featuring 20 races at 18 tracks. The season begins with the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 18. The event will air live on SPEED.

The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com.

- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release

Grant Enfinger; Allgaier Motorsports Close Out 2011 Season With Strong Effort

Press Release — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:19:21 +0000

Allgaier Motorsports Logo Thumbnail

TOLEDO, Ohio (October 18, 2011) – - Despite going winless during the course of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season, Grant Enfinger and his Springfield, Illinois-based Allgaier Motorsports team don’t have any reason to fret; as they capped off a competitive season of competition with another stout effort which ended with Sunday’s Menards 200 at Toledo Speedway.

The family-owned team elected to bring back the same No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger that they recorded a second-place finish in the Spring event at the half-mile oval. Looking to finish what they started, the Kelly Kovski-led organization had high hopes for the season finale.

With the United States Auto Club (USAC) sharing Saturday with the ARCA Racing Series at Toledo Speedway, practice which was normally run as one session would now be combined into two forty minute-efforts. Mounting the second and first quickest laps in each practice respectively, the short track ace along with his team were looking forward to strutting their stuff in Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell.

Despite not being able to maneuver his second pole of the season, Enfinger did log the third quickest lap which gained him five crucial points in the critical championship race. Somewhat content with their starting position, the team remained focused on the bigger goal at hand.

Unfortunately, teams returned to the ARCA-owned racetrack on Sunday under gloomy skies and consistent rain showers. Ultimately, the start of the contest would be pushed-back nearly two hours before the command to fire engines was given. ARCA would choose to utilize the 35-car starting field to finish the track drying process throwing both the green and yellow flags simultaneously for the first 40 circuits of the contest. With the yellow flag retracted and the green “officially” given to the field, Enfinger hovered inside the top-three waiting for the early stages of the race to settle in.

No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger

Within sights of leaders Ty Dillon and Tom Hessert, Enfinger joined the pack when they caught Milka Duno in lap traffic on lap 63. Enfinger was able to soar by Duno and Dillon moving into the runner-up spot. Two laps later though, still muffled in heavy traffic, Enfinger made slight contact with the No. 26 of Brad Smith which allowed Dillon an opportunity to pass the No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger.

Settled in third, a caution waived just before lap 90, allowing Enfinger to bring his automobile to the attention of Kovski where the team changed tires and added fuel, electing to get out of sequence with the leaders – hoping it would pay off in the long run.

The lap 94 restart showed the Fairhope, Alabama native in the 18th position but quickly negotiating his way through the field. Climbing into the top-10 by lap 110, Enfinger proved that he had a car capable of running the multiple grooves around the racetrack.

When the leaders dished to pit road, Enfinger did the same offering the final stop of the afternoon with more tires and a splash of fuel. With the significant number of cars on the lead lap, Enfinger restarted the race deep in the pack in the 17th position.

With a determined attitude, Enfinger began charging his No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger through the tough field once again finding himself knocking on the door of re-entering the top-10 by lap 132.

12 laps later, the mission had been accomplished with Enfinger officially being scored in the 10th position. That though wasn’t good enough for the short track standout as he continued to manhandle his way through the field. By lap 175 and a few cautions later, Enfinger had moved into seventh position.

On the bumper of the No. 32 of Ryan Wilson, the two would hash it out coming to the white flag, but as the two began racing for a spot inside the top-five, leaders Dillon and Brennan Poole collided. With the No. 25 of Poole stalled on the racetrack, Enfinger passed him bumping him up into the sixth position. Now set for a green-white-checkered finish, Enfinger knew that the opportunity to outsmart Wilson, a new recruit to the ARCA Racing Series was capable.

With the green and white flags waiving together, the two began hashing it out fighting for a spot inside the top-five. As the two cars shoved their way out of turn four onto the frontstretch, Enfinger’s No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest / racetires.com Dodge Charger cleared the No. 32 by inches awarding the team with their seventh top-five of the year.

Grant Enfinger

“It was a good day for Allgaier Motorsports,” said Enfinger. “We just didn’t have the car that could challenge for the lead like we did in the Spring, but we did have a strong piece. A couple times after pitting we were able to muscle our way from the back of the field to the front.”

He added, “That was a good battle on the last lap with Ryan (Wilson). He raced me hard but cleaned and it gave the fans something to watch coming to the checkered flag.”

With the team’s 14th top-10 finish of the year, Enfinger unofficially secured third place in the championship standings, the best championship effort for Allgaier Motorsports since notching the 2008 championship with driver Justin Allgaier. In all, the team tallied 19 starts, one pole, seven top-fives, 14 top-10s, 18 top-15 finishes. All season long, the team had just one effort outside the top-20 late in the season at Salem (Ind.) Speedway where a rear-end failure relegated a 22nd place run.

“We didn’t have a lot as far the sponsorship department went, but we still made it,” Enfinger explained. “This is a team with a lot of heart and desire. We had our share of ups and downs, but it was worth it. I’m so appreciative of the Allgaier family for the opportunity and hope that sponsorship can materialize, so that they can race in 2012.”

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is the 2011 championship banquet which is set for Saturday, December 10th at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Ky., near Cincinnati. The top-20 drivers and top-10 owners and drivers will be recognized for their participation in the series this year.

For more on Grant Enfinger, please visit grantenfinger.com.

Additional input on Allgaier Motorsports is available by logging on to AllgaierMotorsports.com.

- Allgaier Motorsports Press Release

Tom Hessert Pretty In Pink At Toledo Speedway

Press Release — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:58:10 +0000

The No. 52 Pink Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala driven by Tom Hessert III in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR).

TOLEDO, Ohio (October 18, 2011) – - It was nearly a picture perfect weekend for Tom Hessert III, Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) and the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala. Sunday’s season finale for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards steered the teams back up in the Midwest to Toledo, Ohio for the running of the Federated Car Care 200.

Federated Car Care, a division of Federated Auto Parts showcased the title sponsorship of the 19th race of the season giving the team an added incentive to return to the half-mile oval stronger than ever.

With the United States Auto Club (USAC) sharing Saturday with the ARCA Racing Series at Toledo Speedway, practice which was normally run as one session would now be combined into two forty minute-efforts. Mounting the fifth and 13th quickest laps in each practice respectively, the KSR driver and team were looking forward to qualifying.

It was Hessert though who stunned the field after maneuvering a lap of 16.080 seconds at 111.940 miles per hour good enough to land his decoratively pink Chevrolet Impala to commemorate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to his second career ARCA pole, the other occurring at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2009.

Tom Hessert III

“It’s really cool for us to start up front here at Toledo,” Hessert said. “It’s the Federated Car Care 200, which is special for us since Federated’s been our sponsor all year. It’s a really good, solid car. It’s a little more meaningful, as a driver, to get a pole at a place like Toledo. Talladega’s a really cool race track, but the driver’s more of an element here. I’m proud of it. It’s exciting and the team brought us a great race car.”

Unfortunately, teams returned to the ARCA-owned racetrack on Sunday under gloomy skies and consistent rain showers. Ultimately, the start of the contest would be pushed-back nearly two hours before the command to fire engines was given. ARCA would choose to utilize the 35-car starting field to finish the track drying process throwing both the green and yellow flags simultaneously for the first 40 circuits of the contest. With the yellow flag retracted and the green “officially” given to the field, Hessert controlled the field until lap 42 when eventual series champion Ty Dillon taking the top spot by lap 43 and sending Hessert back to runner-up position.

On a lap 56 restart, Dillon led Hessert by 0.454 second the first time around, using a strong jump to his advantage. Hessert closed the gap over the next several laps, though, and took advantage when Dillon encountered Milka Duno when trying to lap her on lap 62. Hessert and Enfinger drove to the right and around Dillon and re-secured the lead, controlling the half-way point but with the No. 17 of Chris Buescher hunting for the top spot. On lap 106, Buescher made a move going into turn three sending Hessert back into second only to be passed by Dillon a lap later to occupy the third position by lap 108.

Hessert would remain in a podium finishing position until the yellow flag waived 10 laps later which allowed the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native the opportune time to enter pit road for tires and fuel under the guidance of long-time Motorsports crew chief Donnie Richeson.

A solid effort for KSR on pit allowed their driver to return to the track in the 10th position and begin a charge back towards the front on lap 124. By lap 132, Hessert had brilliantly crafted his Chevrolet to sixth and closing. Just six laps later, the former CARS Pro Cup star found himself in the same position he did entering pit road sitting on the tails of leaders Buescher and Dillon.

As racing pressed on, the action heated up with Hessert now having to battle Brendan Poole for the third position. Poole would eventually win the spot bypassing the No. 52 on lap 153.

Hunkered in fourth, the pressure would be put on the 25 year old approaching lap 177 when battling the No. 58 of Chad Hackenbracht. Unable to maneuver around Hessert, Hackenbracht offered a shove from behind which knocked the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala sideways igniting a short track feud with Hessert returning the favor a lap later but with Hackenbracht spinning out on the frontstretch, bringing out the yellow flag.

By lap 183 Hessert had fell to fifth after being passed by Chad McCumbee with Hessert finding his groove on the track. A green-white-checkered finish allowed Ryan Wilson and Grant Enfinger the opportunity to pass Hessert who by then had moved back into fourth after the leaders collided on lap 199, but to no avail. Hessert took the checkered flag in fourth, notching his fourth top-five finish at Toledo Speedway.

“We would have liked to close out the season with a win, but we just didn’t have the car at the end of the race,” said Hessert, who led a race-high 86 laps. “Everyone at Ken Schrader Racing put their heart and soul into this car this weekend and we were able to score the pole and run upfront all day long. I want to thank Federated Auto Parts and all of their partners for their support of our team all year long.”

Hessert’s pole which rewarded him with 15 bonus points toppled with his 13th top-10 of the season allowed the NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car ace to slide past Tim George Jr. in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings to claim sixth overall.

In all, Hessert made 19 starts this season posting one pole, seven top-fives, 13 top-10s and 114 laps led in two races (Salem (Ind.) Speedway and Toledo Speedway).

In addition to Federated Auto Parts, Cherry Hill Classic Cars served as an associate marketing partner for Hessert’s 83rd career ARCA start. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 19 top-fives and 43 top-10s.

For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.

To join Hessert and Ken Schrader Racing in their plan to spread the message about Breast Cancer awareness and to order you own “Pink” KSR memorabilia, please visit SchraderRacing.com.

Milka Duno Survives a Busy ARCA Season Finale to Finish 18th at Toledo Speedway

Press Release — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:53:19 +0000

No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota Camry

TOLEDO, Ohio (October 18, 2011) – Perseverance and hard work was the theme of the weekend for Milka Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season finale at Toledo Speedway. On a weekend where Duno and team just couldn’t find any good luck, the team overcame a practice fire, 35th starting position, running the race in a backup car and an early race overheating problem to score an 18th place finish on a cold, wet blustery Sunday afternoon in the Federated Car Care 200.

“We had a good car for the race. The guys did a great job with the car because in the second lap of the first practice session the car caught fire and we lost all of the first practice and had to roll out our backup car,” said Duno. “We only had a few laps in the second practice because we had a problem with the brakes in the backup car. The guys were working really hard to try to put the car together before qualifying. With no practice time, (Crew Chief) Dave used the experience that he has here to give me a good car for the race. We were running very solid and strong and wanted to finish higher; I think our car was capable of finishing stronger, but the lap that we lost with the overheating problem affected us a lot. I have to thank my Sheltra Motorsports team for a great season. It has been a lot of fun.”

With a strong test session in the week prior Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team came to Toledo with a lot of confidence – but trouble struck early on for the team as on only her second lap of the first practice session Duno’s No. 63 car melted an oil line causing oil to spew out of the machine and eventually catch fire. Duno was able to exit the car safely and safety officials quickly put out the fire but the team was forced to pull out a backup car and Duno was not able to get back out on track during the first practice session.

Working feverishly to get the backup car prepared in time for the second and final 40-minute practice session, the crew was able to get Duno on track shortly after the session began. Plagued with bad luck, a brake problem on the car prevented her from making any solid practice laps. With a lot of work to do before qualifying later in the afternoon, the Sheltra Motorsports went back to work after practice to get the No. 63 ready for qualifying. Duno was supposed to be the 19th car to make a qualifying lap around the half-mile track, but with the problems on the car the team had to relinquish that spot forcing Duno to start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field in the 35th position.

Cold, rainy skies forced the start of the Federated Car Care 200 to be postponed for over two hours, but ARCA officials were finally able to get the race underway shortly after 4:00 p.m. The green and yellow flags were thrown simultaneously to signal the official start of the race. Drivers were forced to maintain their positions but running under slow conditions didn’t allow the cars to get enough air causing several drivers to complain about their cars overheating. Unfortunately Duno’s No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota was one of the cars fighting an overheating problem and Crew Chief Dave Leiner Jr. was forced call her down pit road on lap 39 to pull tape off the car and allow the car to cool before green flag laps were even run thereby putting Duno one lap down.

The green flag was finally thrown on lap 49, but a still damp track was the cause of several early cautions. Duno used the few early green flag laps to move from her 35th starting position to 27th before radioing to her crew on lap 68 that the car was a little loose in the turns.

Milka Duno

On lap 77 Duno moved her way into the top-25 and she would never relinquish her position within the top 25 for the remainder of the race. A lap 122 caution allowed Duno to bring her CITGO SUPERGARD car down pit road for the second and final time of the day. Changing two right side tires, adding fuel and making a chassis adjustment to tighten up her car, the Sheltra Motorsports crew sent Duno back on her way in the 24th position.

The field went back to racing on lap 137 and Duno wasted no time moving into 23rd and reported to the crew that her car was handling better. Things got interesting for Duno on lap 143 as another car spun right in front of her, but with a quick reaction she avoided the spinning car and moved into 22nd place.

With only 52 laps remaining, the field restarted but several more cautions slowed the drivers through the final laps of the race. Duno was able to use the short green flag runs to negotiate her way through traffic, climbing her way to the 18th position by the time the final checkered flag flew on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series Season.

With a gain of 17 positions from her 35th starting position, Duno was the biggest mover of the race passing more cars and gaining more positions than any other driver in the 35-car field.

“I am very happy with Milka and the efforts of the Sheltra Motorsports crew this weekend,” said Crew Chief Dave Leiner Jr. “There was no harder working team than our 63 team this weekend. Milka really had very limited track time in practice and did such a great job to get the finish we did today. I can’t say enough for how much she has improved this season. She has done a great job and it has been a pleasure to have her with us this season. I am very proud of her and the hard work she and the entire Sheltra Motorsports team has put into the 2011 season.”

About Sheltra Motorsports:

About Milka Duno:

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Milka Duno Profiled in CNN en Español’s “Latinos en Acción”

Press Release — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:27:54 +0000

“Hispanic Heritage Month Special to Air This Saturday, October 15 at 9pm ET”

Milka Duno

LOS ANGELES, C.A. (Oct 13, 2011) - Race car driver Milka Duno will be profiled in a CNN en Español Heritage Month Special “Latinos en Acción,” that will air throughout the Americas this Saturday, October 15 at 9pm ET.

Hosted by CNN en Español Sports Anchor Elizabeth Perez, “Latinos en Acción” profiles the impact of Latinos in an array of popular sports. In addition to Duno, the special will also profile basketball player Al Horford, baseball player Pedro Martinez and soccer sportscaster Andres Cantor among others.

The first female driver to win a major motorsport race in the US, Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the 48-year history of the race.

Duno was the first Hispanic woman, in 93-year history of the race, to compete in the world famous Indianapolis 500 and in the IndyCar Series. She was also the first Hispanic woman to lead an IndyCar Series race.

In January, 2010 Duno became the first Venezuelan athlete to be inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame at their 35th Anniversary Induction Ceremony.

2011 marked yet another milestone for Duno as she became the first Hispanic woman to compete in stock car racing on a national level in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

Off the track, Duno is a certified Naval Engineer who holds four master’s degrees, earning the last three simultaneously. Duno is also working through her “Milka Way” program to inspire children and students to “Aim for the Stars” and achieve academic excellence.

The special will also air on later on Saturday, October 15 at 1130pm ET, on Sunday, October 16 at 5am ET, on Wednesday, October 19 at 1pm ET, on Friday, October 21 at 1pm ET and twice on Saturday, October 22 at 1130am ET and 9pm ET.

For more information, visit www.milkaduno.com. Fans cans also log on to her official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheOfficialMilkaDunoFanPage.

About Milka Duno:

- Milka Duno Public Relations Press Release

Milka Duno Looks to End Rookie Stock Car Season on Top at Toledo Speedway

Press Release — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:52:42 +0000

Sheltra Motorsports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 13, 2011) – There could be no better place for Milka Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team to end the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season than Toledo Speedway. While Duno had never raced at a short track prior to this season, her rookie stock car season, she took to the tricky half-miles very quickly and has posted some of her best results of the 2011 ARCA season at the short tracks, including her best finish of the season at Toledo Speedway in the spring.

Milka Duno

“I wish I could say that I’m excited for our last race of the season – but I’m not – I don’t want this season to end!,” said Duno. “I am very excited to be racing again at Toledo for sure, and we did have a good test here last week. It’s been such a great season with many new challenges and many new tracks in a new car for me – if it was up to me I’d like to keep racing every weekend.”

After a very successful run at the half-mile oval in the spring, Duno and team have a lot of confidence heading to the ARCA finale at Toledo for Sunday’s Federated Car Care 200. They tested their No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Dodge at the track last Sunday.

“We are very excited to get to Toledo Speedway,” said Crew Chief Dave Leiner Jr. “Milka has really improved throughout the entire season, and I think she will really prove that with a strong run on Sunday. We tested here earlier this week and she really did a great job. The entire Sheltra Motorsports team is excited for a good performance in the Federated Car Care 200.”

The ARCA Racing Series will make its return to Toledo Speedway, ARCA’s home track, on Saturday, Oct. 15th with two practice sessions before qualifying begins at 4:00 p.m. EST. There will be an on-track autograph session Sunday, Oct.16th from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. before the green flag drops for 200 laps of short track action at 2:00 p.m. EST. SPEED will provide live television coverage of the Federated Car Care 200 with live timing and scoring and radio coverage on ARCARacing.com.

No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Dodge Charger

Milka Duno and the No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Dodge Fast Facts:

Duno at Toledo: Milka Duno will be making her second-career start at Toledo Speedway. In her first start at the half-mile track last spring, Duno started last and moved into the 15th position, scoring her best finish to date in the ARCA Racing Series.

Sheltra Motorsports at Toledo: Sheltra Motorsports has nine starts at Toledo Speedway. The team has three top-five and five top-10 finishes at the half-mile oval with best finishes of second in the 2008 Spring event and third in the 2010 Fall event and a pole in the fall event last year.

This Week’s Dodge: Duno will be piloting chassis No. 005 this weekend. Milka Duno has driven this chassis three times this season, at both Salem races and Lucas Oil Raceway. 2010 Champion and team owner Patrick Sheltra also piloted chassis No. 005 to his first-career ARCA Racing Series victory at Salem Speedway in 2009.

Autographs: On Sunday, October 16 there will be an on-track autograph session from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. prior to the start of the Federated Car Care 200.

Keep Up With Milka: Want to learn more about Milka Duno? Log on to her official website at www.milkaduno.com. Fans cans also log on to her official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheOfficialMilkaDunoFanPage

Follow Sheltra Motorsports: Want to know what is going on at the Sheltra Motorsports shop or what 2010 Champion Patrick Sheltra is up to? Be sure to follow Sheltra Motorsports on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SheltraMotorsports.

About Sheltra Motorsports:

About Milka Duno:

Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the 48-year history of the race. Go, Milka, Go! – a book about her life and racing career was awarded the Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation Book of 2009 at the 11th Annual International Latino Book Awards. In 2010, Duno became the first Venezuelan athlete inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Debris Damage Thwarts Strong Run For Tom Hessert; Ken Schrader Racing At Kansas Speedway

Press Release — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:50:49 +0000

The No. 52 Pink Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala driven by Tom Hessert III in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR).

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (October 10, 2011) – - Sporting a catchy looking pink No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) in the Kansas Lottery 98.9, Tom Hessert III and his Donnie Richeson-led team had high hopes to kick off the month of October in the right direction. Unfortunately, debris from a late race caution thwarted what appeared to be a strong top-10 finish in the making at Kansas Speedway.

The final one-day event for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards started off on a solid footing for Hessert and KSR. Hoping to utilize some of their knowledge from the open ARCA test last month, the team made a series of adjustments throughout practice before the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native landed the eighth quickest lap overall.

Still knowing that he had to consult with his team on changes to his pink No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala, the team remained optimistic heading into Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying. Hessert’s lap of 31.929 seconds at 169.125 miles per hour was good enough to land the KSR machine 10th on the starting grid, a personal best in the “Land of Oz.”

Confident about the ability of his racecar, Hessert joined 37 of ARCA’s finest to take the green flag just after 7:45 p.m. local. Quickly, the former CARS Pro Cup driver had moved into the ninth position by lap three and rose to eighth by lap five – proving that he had a fast machine under the Sunflower State skies.

By lap 15, the 25-year old had slipped back to the ninth position but remained in the clutches of Chad McCumbee. Seven laps later, a loose condition on the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala allowed Chad Hackenbracht to overtake him for the ninth position and settling in 10th.

The first caution flag of the night waived on lap 24 for debris allowing ample opportunity for Hessert to bring his KSR automobile to the attention of his team assisted by David Hyder, as crew chief Donnie Richeson played the double-duty role Friday night as both team leader and spotter. After receiving four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment, Hessert returned to competition. Unfortunately, the team informed their driver that they had to serve a penalty under the yellow for a tire escaping from pit lane which also forced the former NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car ace to start the contest from the tail end of the longest line.

Restarting 17th on lap 29, Hessert blasted his way through the pack and moved into the 16th position six laps later before finding himself entering the top-15 two laps later. A yellow flag would halt the field from racing conditions with Hessert occupying the 12th position.

Racing resumed on lap 40 with Hessert quick to get on the gas and determined to slice his way back into the top-10. When the next caution flag waived just after the halfway mark, Hessert sat 11th on the track. However, he would join the rest of the field for a routine pit stop when it opened.

Nestled in the 14th position on the restart, Hessert made quick work of Milka Duno and set his sights on Hackenbracht for 12th. With 40 laps remaining, the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala made an impressive move by bolting around both Hackenbracht and Ryan Wilson to claim 11th.

Five laps later, Hessert’s machine continued to throttle forward passing McCumbee and Tim George Jr. to hoist the ninth position where he would hover until his race took a dramatic turn in the closing laps.

When championship point’s leader Ty Dillon and Michael Leavine collided on the frontstretch with 12 laps remaining, a piece of debris struck Hessert’s Chevrolet bowtie creating a hole in the frontend of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala.

Despite the damage, the team elected to keep their driver on the racetrack where he would restart seventh. When racing resumed, the damage would prove to dramatically change the handling of his General Motors automobile which meant that cars were passing Hessert left and right. A gallant effort behind the wheel allowed the team to take the checkered flag on the lead lap but having to settle for a discouraging 13th place finish.

Tom Hessert III

“It’s frustrating because we had a good car,” offered Hessert after the race. “We pulled a piece of the No. 95 (Leavine) car from the hole and it was obvious why we went backwards on the restart. It’s a shame though because we should have finished solidly in the top-10 and we had to settle for 13th. That’s just been the way our cookie has crumbled lately. Everyone on the KSR team did a good job. It was a long day but they stayed focused and at times we flexed some muscle. All we can do is move on and go to Toledo and see what we can accomplish.”

He added, “I also want to remind everyone to log onto SchraderRacing.com. and help us spread the word about Breast Cancer Awareness month. I was told that the car looked pretty slick on the track and it’s all for a good cause, so I’m excited to carry the paint scheme over to Toledo.”

With just one race remaining on the calendar, Hessert sits seventh in the championship standings 80 markers behind sixth place runner Tim George Jr. The curtain will fall on Hessert’s fourth year of full-time competition in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season on Sunday, October 16 when the checkered flag falls in the Toledo ARCA 200 presented by Federated Car Care. The final race of the year which consists of 200 laps will be televised live on SPEED beginning at 2:00 p.m. local.

In addition to Federated Auto Parts, Cherry Hill Classic Cars served as an associate marketing partner for Hessert’s 82nd career ARCA start. In those outings, he has maneuvered one win, 18 top-fives and 42 top-10s.

For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.

To join Hessert and Ken Schrader Racing in their plan to spread the message about Breast Cancer awareness and to order you own “Pink” KSR memorabilia, please visit SchraderRacing.com.

- Tom Hessert Racing Press Release

Milka Duno Shines Under Kansas Lights

Press Release — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:38:13 +0000

No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota Camry

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (October 9, 2011) – Milka Duno had never taken stock car laps around an intermediate track prior to the Kansas Lottery 98.9 but the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Rookie looked like a seasoned veteran under the lights at Kansas Speedway.

“Today was my first time driving on a 1.5-mile track in this type of car,” said Duno. “It is totally different from a superspeedway or a short track. Today was a good day. We improved a lot throughout the day. In practice we really worked on the car and (crew chief) Dave gave me a good car for qualifying and an even better car for the race. We are always expecting better results, but I am happy with our result for having to overcome the speeding penalty at the end of the race.”

The stars of the ARCA Racing Series got an early start Friday morning as their first and only practice session began at 9:00 a.m. Looking to gain some stock car experience at the Speedway, Duno hit the asphalt with only two hours to learn the 1.5-mile track. Ending the final practice session 24th-fastest of the 41 cars to make laps, the team got ready for qualifying later in the afternoon. Picking up almost a full second from her practice time, Duno qualified 24th for the start of the Kansas Lottery 98.9

As the green flag dropped, Duno was very patient for the first quarter of the race, remaining in the top-25 and taking care of her CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota. On lap 12 she went one lap down to the leaders, but a caution on lap 23 allowed her to bring her No. 63 to the attention of her Sheltra Motorsports crew for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.

Milka Duno

Duno returned to the track in 24th and when she took the green flag on lap 28, Duno began clicking off very fast lap times. Quickly moving into the 22nd position, Duno put herself in “lucky dog” position as the first car one lap down to the leaders when the second caution of the night came out on lap 36, putting her back on the lead lap.

The field restarted on lap 39 and with continued improvement, Duno raced her way to the 18th position by the halfway point of the race. Another caution on lap 51 brought the No. 63 back down pit road for four tires, another track bar adjustment and fuel and with a quick stop, the Sheltra Motorsports team put Duno back out on the track in 17th for the lap 56 restart.

Often running lap times as quick as the top-10, track position was hard to come by and Duno had advanced as high as 14th during the second half of the race and was consistently running in the 16th and 17th positions until the final caution of the night came out on lap 88. Crew Chief Dave Leiner Jr. called Duno down pit road for four tires and a slight adjustment, but while battling for position off pit road Duno and several other drivers got caught speeding while exiting the pits.

As the green came out for the final time on lap 94 Duno was forced to serve the penalty, having to make a pass through the pits, relinquishing her track position. Duno returned to the track for the final few laps of the race, taking the checkered flag in the 19th position.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Milka and the entire Sheltra Motorsports team tonight,” said Leiner. “Milka continued to improve her lap times all day long. She ran her fastest laps of the weekend in the middle of the race, often running lap times as fast as some of the top cars. Milka really proved what an incredible amount of talent she has today. I am really looking forward to getting back to the track and putting on a good show at Toledo.”

The Sheltra Motorsports team rolls into the final event on the ARCA Racing Series schedule next weekend at Toledo Speedway for the Toledo ARCA 200 presented by Federated Car Care. Cars will hit the half-mile oval on Saturday, October 15th for practice and qualifying. The green flag will drop for 200 laps of short track action on Sunday, October 16th at 2:00 p.m. EST with live television coverage on SPEED.

About Sheltra Motorsports:

About Milka Duno:

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Milka Duno Grabbing Attention As ARCA Heads To Kansas Speedway

Caught in the Catchfence™ — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:54:41 +0000

Milka Duno

Milka Duno has been in the Indianapolis 500 and finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona, the best finish ever by a woman driver in that event.

Now, the 39-year-old Venezuelan is trying to learn the ropes of stock car racing, a process that will continue in Friday night’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Series event at Kansas Speedway.

“I have a good memory for this place because this is where I did my rookie test when I was going to Indy,” Duno said during a Kansas Speedway test session last month. “It was very special.”

The first Hispanic woman to race in the Indy 500, Duno switched over to ARCA after struggling with inferior equipment for parts of four seasons in the IndyCar Series. Her best finish in that series was an 11th at Texas in 2007. Her best Indy 500 finish was a 19th in three starts.

“I like to do things in the right way,” Duno said. “I like to be a success in everything and I was a success in every car that I was driving before. With IndyCars I didn’t have the right conditions – I never had a good car.

“The Indy 500, we’d like to do it, but you have to do it with the right car. I would like to do it because it’s a special race, and if I have the opportunity in the future I would like to do it, under the right conditions.”

Duno, driver of the No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota, is still in the infancy of her stock car career, with a best of 15th in 10 ARCA starts, and is willing to put in the time to learn.

- FoxSports.com

Milka Duno Looking to Shine Under the Lights at Kansas Speedway

Press Release — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:25:06 +0000

“Duno to make first career intermediate track start in a stock car”

No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota Camry

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2011) - In a season where everything has been new for Milka Duno, the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Rookie is ready to cross one of her final hurdles – racing on an intermediate track in a stock car. While Duno has learned to master short tracks, superspeedways, road courses and Pocono’s “tricky triangle” in a stock car, she is set to tackle that final hurdle at Kansas Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval in the Kansas Lottery 98.9 on Friday night, October 8th.

“I’ve raced at Kansas before in an Indy car and passed my IndyCar rookie test here too,” said Duno. “I have a fond place in my heart for this track and the fans in Kansas because they have been so supportive of me. It will be my first time at the track in a stock car and so it will be a different experience. We made some progress at a test here last month and we hope that will help us deliver a good result.”

Milka Duno

While Duno will be piloting her No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota to her first stock car start at Kansas Speedway, her Sheltra Motorsports team has a lot of confidence at the 1.5 mile track. With four previous starts and a finish of fifth place with team owner Patrick Sheltra behind the wheel last season, the Sheltra Motorsports team knows what it takes to score a top finish at Kansas Speedway. Adding to that success, they tested at the 1.5-mile track with Duno in September, a test that left the entire team confident for a strong run Friday night.

“I am excited to get to Kansas with Milka,” said Crew Chief Dave Leiner II. “Milka has had a steep learning curve this season; every track has been brand new to her. We just tested here in September, and I really believe that will show on the race track this week. She made tremendous improvements throughout the entire test session and I believe that will continue on Friday. I think our Sheltra Motorsports team will be pretty sporty Friday night.”

Duno and the stars of the ARCA Racing Series roll into Kansas Speedway on Friday, October 7th for 148.5 miles of Friday night racing action. Drivers and crews will have their work cut out for them with only one short 2 hour and 15 minute practice session (9:00 – 11: 15 a.m. CDT) Friday morning before qualifying begins at 5:35 p.m. CDT. green flag will drop on the Kansas Lottery 98.9 at 7:30 p.m. CDT with live television coverage on SPEED and live timing and scoring and audio coverage provided by ARCA Nation and the ARCA Racing Network at ARCARacing.com.

Milka Duno and the No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Toyota Fast Facts:

Duno at Kansas Speedway: Milka Duno will be making her first career stock car start at Kansas Speedway. She tested at the 1.5-mile track in September with her Sheltra Motorsports team.

Sheltra Motorsports at Kansas: Sheltra Motorsports has made four previous starts at Kansas Speedway, all with team owner Patrick Sheltra behind the wheel. The team finished fifth at the 1.5-mile track last season, a finish that helped catapult Sheltra Motorsports to the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship.

This Week’s Toyota: Duno will be piloting chassis No. 20 this weekend. This chassis has only been used once before by the Sheltra Motorsports team at Iowa Speedway. It was a new chassis to the team in 2011, originating from Red Bull Racing.

About Sheltra Motorsports:

About Milka Duno:

Duno has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the 48-year history of the race. Go, Milka, Go! – a book about her life and racing career was awarded the Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation Book of 2009 at the 11th Annual International Latino Book Awards. In 2010, Duno became the first Venezuelan athlete inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame.

- Sheltra Motorsports Press Release

Milka Duno applies talents to stock cars

Caught in the Catchfence™ — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:27:10 +0000

Milka Duno

Milka Duno has driven in some of motorsports’ most hallowed and historic races.

She was the first Hispanic woman to qualify and race in the Indianapolis 500. She’s won races in the American Le Mans Series and the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car series and finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2007, the highest finish by a female driver.

But here she was at Kansas Speedway this week testing an ARCA series stock car in advance of the upcoming Kansas Lottery 98.9 race scheduled for Oct. 7.

“I have a good memory for this place, because this is where I did my rookie test when I was going to Indy,” said Duno, who finished 14th in a much-ballyhooed IndyCar series debut in 2007 at Kansas Speedway. “It was very special at that time.”

Duno, a one-time model from Caracas, Venezuela, has yet to replicate her sports-car success in IndyCar or ARCA. But she doesn’t consider the ARCA series a comedown for someone who has graced the covers of Vogue, Esquire and other magazines as South America’s Danica Patrick.

“I like to drive everything,” said Duno, 39. “Everything I was doing before was helping me to the next step. I was learning from the engineers, from other drivers … I never stopped the process to learn. Every day you’re learning something new. And everything you learn now is for the future.”

- Kansas City Star