Duno Finishes 15th at Chicagoland Speedway, Obstacles Along the Way

JOLIET, Illinois (September 9, 2007) – IndyCar rookie driver Milka Duno finished 15th today, September 9th, at the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 race, the final race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season. Held at the Chicagoland Speedway, Duno earned the position after starting 22nd and after overcoming many obstacles that might have affected the outcome of her eighth IndyCar appearance.

The hurdles started early in the day when the team made the decision to switch her Honda engine from her new #23 CITGO Dallara car to her backup car. It became clear to the team during practice and qualifying on Saturday that the new car was not going to perform as expected. The decision, while risky because Duno would not have an opportunity to practice with the new setup prior to the green flag, proved wise when during the race she picked up several seconds over Saturday’s showing.

Then, during the race, Duno was forced to pit more often than strategized. First, the rear left camber area needed adjusting. Unfortunately, this mechanical issue cost the driver a significant number of laps. This was followed by an additional stop to secure a loose left rearview mirror and yet another stop to replace the front wing. Still, Duno was able to overcome the multiple mechanical problems and finish the race in the top 15.

Duno Comments:
“My engineers made the decision late last night to change the cars. This proved to be very intelligent and demonstrates the expertise of the people we have on this team. This, my rookie year, was very challenging of course. I didn’t have two cars until mid-season and I was not able to enter all the planned races because of limiting factors beyond my control and my team’s control. I have learned many things in this first year of racing in the IndyCar Series. I want to acknowledge all the new fans I have. They are wonderful and very supportive. Many people have asked what I will do now. During the offseason I am looking forward to testing and training and preparing for my second year in IndyCar.”

 

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