Milka Duno To Run 10 Races

[rcarr]

She is a good racing driver but doesn't deserve a drive in the pinicle of US single seater racing. I think Grand-Am suits her driving style.

As we all know that driving single seaters is completely different to racing sports/GTs, we are seeing that with Premat in the DTM too!

[Rob29]

Err.More like driving on an oval is completely different to driving on a road circuit? Actually I thought she had done fairly well for her first attempts.Her previous efforts at driving a single seater on a road ciruit were poor..

[ensign14]

Originally Posted by rcarr

She is a good racing driver but doesn't deserve a drive in the pinicle of US single seater racing. I think Grand-Am suits her driving style.

Not really, given past performance...

[TWK]

Originally Posted by rcarr

She is a good racing driver but doesn't deserve a drive in the pinicle of US single seater racing. I think Grand-Am suits her driving style.

As we all know that driving single seaters is completely different to racing sports/GTs, we are seeing that with Premat in the DTM too!

Some aren't all that impressed with her Grand Am performances, either. Here's an excerpt from an article on the 500's backmarkers today:

Duno’s over-hyped accomplishments have come in sports cars with more capable co-drivers. (Grand Am enforces no minimum driver time, so Andy Wallace and others were doing the heavy lifting, while Milka, out of the car after a few laps, was tending to the PR.) She, like Herb and Marty Roth, funds the teams for which she drives.

[Fish_Flake]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Speaking of another human being as if they are a slab of beef is indicative of a lack of something; if not raw intelligence than a disconnect in the application of same.

Funny that I rarely read a thread about Castroneves' good looks for example, and how he might be a little too old or maybe not smart, simply because he has an accent.

Perhaps we would all be better served here by talking about their racing rather than simply judging them by their looks or their accent. Certainly if we are going to get touchy about our own shortcomings (real or supposed) when these things are pointed out...I suppose that supports the notion that even racing drivers should be judged as who they are rather than on more superficial values.

I agree with you, but I don't think Madison Avenue does. Even amongst the male drivers, there is a link between physical appearance and marketability. Like it or not, sex sells, and image is everything when it comes down to advertising. Look at NASCAR, where there open acknowledgement that many of the well-backed drivers are also photogenic and have legions of female admirers. Look at tennis, where Amelie Mauresmo won more Grand Slam tournaments than Maria Sharapova last year, yet the latter is the one with all the TV commercials and is more marketable than even the dominant male player of modern times. It's great if you have the game, but corporations want the image to represent their investment.

[JohnSSC]

No question that from a marketing standpoint, Lyle Lovett is nowhere near as useful as Maria Sharapova. That being said, the discussion here had nothing to do with marketing and had everything to do with pinup fantasy.

Now, there is a time and place for everything, including that, but this forum (imho) isn't it. There must be plenty of other places to go to discuss one's hope that a pretty woman is (hopefully) not very smart (seeing as how she has an accent and all) as it would enhance my chances of her thinking that going out with me would be an improvement in her lot.

[Leighton Irwin]

The point that John and I were both trying to make is that every time there is a thread about women drivers it ends up dicussing their sex appeal. It doesn't happen with male drivers, with very few exceptions, so it should not with the female drivers.

[ensign14]

Let's face it, if we were discussing Ms Duno's ability it wouldn't go to more than a page. Why not discuss her looks if they're assisting her in getting drives?

[mountainstar]

While I have no doubt Milk N' Donuts is both a very nice lady and very well educated, she has no business being in an open wheel car or any pro motorsports for that matter.

I think her spotter was screaming at her the whole time at indy to put her foot to the floor.

I'm all for giving people a fair go, but I've seen enough over 7 years to say OSB(other sports beckon).

[JohnSSC]

I don't think anyone here has posited that Milka should have any ride at this level. Geoff Boss shouldn't have had one either or most of the Speraficos. We managed avoid discussing their relative levels of sex appeal, though.

If that means the thread is a one-pager, than so be it.

[TWK]

"Duno’s over-hyped accomplishments have come in sports cars with more capable co-drivers. (Grand Am enforces no minimum driver time, so Andy Wallace and others were doing the heavy lifting, while Milka, out of the car after a few laps, was tending to the PR.) She, like Herb and Marty Roth, funds the teams for which she drives."

http://lastturnclub.com/index.php?op...=125&Itemid=71

[Rob29]

Anyone know what has happened to Milka? Not entered at Watkins Glen and her website seems to be down.

[georgeboi999]

She is a waste of space. I really don't know why she is in this series?

[Leighton Irwin]

George: Money and ego.

[drdisque]

According to Indycar.com, Tomas Enge will shake-down Duno's car this weekend at Nashville to make sure that it is handling properly before she gets in.

[marcus]

yes but sadly after Enge handed the car over to Milka she crashed it and has been withdrawn from this weekends event.

http://www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=9454

(Good to see Enge back in a car btw )

[Tim Northcutt]

Today's Indy Star (Curt cavin...a great OW reporter, BTW) reported that Brian Barnhart has asked ther trhee IRL Driver Observers (Johnny Rutherford, Rick Mears & Al Unser, Sr.) to review Milka's "Progress" and it is possible that her competition license could be revoked until she does moe testing and gets better on ovals...

Her next scheduled race is Michigan on Aug. 5, according to the article...It is stupid that she is not racing on road courses where she has driven before....but then again, if she stinks on them, too, then they would pull her license in a heartbeat, now wouldn't they????

Food for thought.....

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by ensign14

Why not discuss her looks if they're assisting her in getting drives?

Her looks haven't assisted her in getting drives.

[mountainstar]

I was talking with someone recently who has some personal experience with milka. Nice lady but belongs in the BOSS formula series or something, not ripping around ovals at 200+. That's his opinion.

[NAC]

Well it seams that IRL's patience has come to an end. One more foot wrong and she's out according to the article on IRL Live

http://www.irl-live.com/indy/en/
Duno finally placed on probation

[Dutton]

Originally Posted by Leighton Irwin

The point that John and I were both trying to make is that every time there is a thread about women drivers it ends up dicussing their sex appeal. It doesn't happen with male drivers, with very few exceptions, so it should not with the female drivers.

It is the same with politicians, or whatever else you may pick. Women get all aspects of their appearance, and such, analysed to extreme levels. It is somehow accepted that their appearance is vital to their performance, when in fact it is irrelevant (unless you are a model, or something).

It also seems common that behaviour and attitudes that are often painted in some positive manner (sometimes the anti-hero model) in men are portrayed as horrendous when displayed by females.

It is a regrettable truth that our societies are nowhere near as equal as many like to tell themselves.

[luke]

I know ovals aren't easy but when you are flat out and have the high downforce and running on your own how do you crash pretty much every race?

Drivers like her and Dana should never have been racing in this series that is what Bobby Unser said and I agree with him. If there wasn't a split I know they wouldn't...

I thought she would have chosen to do the road courses but there you go..

[JohnSSC]

Ovals aren't easy and the statement should not be qualified by statements like: "but when you are flat out and have the high downforce and running on your own..."

Simply circulating at a place like Michigan - or any oval at speeds that are in the 200 mph range takes more skill than most of us can muster. I do not agree that she has the skill to be in a top series either, but to make it sound like all that one has to do is set the wing angles and then go out and circulate vastly oversimplifies what is required to drive an oval at speed.

It would be like saying "all you have to do is nail the apex" on a road course in order to go fast.

Neither discipline is "easy."

[luke]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Ovals aren't easy and the statement should not be qualified by statements like: "but when you are flat out and have the high downforce and running on your own..."

Simply circulating at a place like Michigan - or any oval at speeds that are in the 200 mph range takes more skill than most of us can muster. I do not agree that she has the skill to be in a top series either, but to make it sound like all that one has to do is set the wing angles and then go out and circulate vastly oversimplifies what is required to drive an oval at speed.

It would be like saying "all you have to do is nail the apex" on a road course in order to go fast.

Neither discipline is "easy."

I didn't say all you had to was put the wing angles on and anyone can do it. I did say I know its not easy but the challenge isn't there what it once was and when you do have the amount of downforce, less hp and running flat out at most of the ovals and running on your own she seems to some how crash every time if not nearly everytime. That is why I don't rate her at all. Infact I think she's terrible but each to their own.

[JohnSSC]

Please re-read my post. I do not rate her at this level either.

That being said, driving a car on an oval anywhere near the "limit" is not easy for one thing and will result in something dramatic happening when one makes a mistake. Running flat out is a result of the hp/downforce equation. That does not make driving at the limit easier. It makes getting to the limit less complicated.

So regarding the "seems to crash every time if not nearly everytime" statement," how many times has Duno crashed this season compared to the number of races she has been in?