MILKA DUNO TESTS WELL AND LOOKS FORWARD TO AUSTRIA RACE
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – September 17, 2003 – After a successful test last Friday, September 12, at Austria’s famed A1 Ring, Milka is looking forward to her first race ever in Austria – The Superfund World Series by Nissan Light event at the A1 Ring this weekend, September 18-21, 2003.
The races at the A1 Ring will be the 7th and 8th of the series’ 16-race 2003 season. There are 4 remaining races in the championship – all to be conducted in Spain.
While Milka has been competing all over the world during the last 4 years, this will be her first race at the internationally respected Austria circuit.
“I’ve always had a desire to compete at the A1 Ring,” said Milka. “I’ve heard very good things about the track from many drivers over the years and I’m really looking forward to the race. It is the type of track where most of the lap is flat-out and good mechanical grip is crucial.”
Milka completed a test session at the track on Friday, September 11 in which a large part of the morning session was spent solving electrical difficulties that plagued her car and prohibited any informational feedback or telemetry. The problems were solved in time for limited, but very effective, test laps in the afternoon session.
“The problems on test day severely limited much-needed track time during the morning session, which was disappointing since this is my first time at the circuit and I would like as much time learning the track as possible,” said Duno. “But the Vergani Team crew succeeded in solving the problem in time for me to get some very good laps in the afternoon. I would have liked more time on the track but I am very pleased with our results in the afternoon. All in all, I’m looking forward to the race and I’m hopeful for a good result on Sunday.”
The Superfund World Series Light Division event at the A1 Ring begins with two Collective Practice sessions on Friday, September 19, and as the series features two races as part of each racing event there will be two Qualifying sessions on Saturday, September 20 – one for each race. The first of the two races will also be on Saturday, with the second and final race on Sunday, September 21.
This year marks the 3rd season for Milka in the World Series Light Division, and she is the only woman competing in the series this year. Last year Team Vergani gave her the opportunity to be the first woman in history to pilot the fastest car in the World Series – the V6. Milka also regularly competes in the world’s premier sportscar series – the American Le Mans Series – where she was the first woman in history to pilot the world’s fastest sportscar – the Le Mans Prototype 900. Milka is a regular competitor as well in the most famous sportscar race in the world – the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
Milka, Venezuela’s 2000 “Driver of the Year”, has secured the support of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA). PDVSA is Venezuela’s state-owned oil company and has proven reserves of 77.9 billion barrels of oil – the most outside the Middle East – and is one of the top exporters of oil to the United States. PDVSA’s exploration and production take place in Venezuela, but the company also has refining and marketing operations in the Caribbean, Europe and the U.S.
Milka is also thankful for the support of CANTV, MRW and IND. CANTV is Venezuela’s largest private company and since 1991 it has experienced a constant transformation into a very competitive company with very high quality levels in the supply of its products and services – voice transmission, data, Internet, cellular telephony and information directories. MRW, based in Spain, and also doing business in Venezuela, was founded in 1977 and is Spain’s leader in the urgent transport sector. MRW employs over 7,500 people in 675 franchises. IND is Venezuela’s Instituto Nacional de Deportes – the national office dealing with the support of Venezuelan Athletes.
Additional information on PDVSA is available at www.pdv.com. You can visit CANTV at www.cantv.com.ve and MRW at www.mrw.gi. Information on Venezuela’s IND can be located at www.ind.gov.ve. The website for the World Series by Nissan is available at http://ws.racing-live.com and Vergani Racing is located at www.verganiracing.com.
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