Kansas test passed, learning curve continues at Indy source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski A parade of former IndyCar Series drivers and current officials who met to counsel and receive feedback from Milka Duno before the Kansas Lottery Indy 300 on April 29 got half the story. In some respects, the sports car driver who is following her dream of competing in series and 91st Indianapolis 500 was different after her foray into the high-speed, high-anxiety world of IndyCar Series oval racing. She was relieved, no doubt, to have safely made it through the race. She also excited in a subdued presence, full of optimism and praise for her team and series officials. Duno started last on the grid on the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway tri-oval, sputtered early but kept working to improve the car with her SAMAX Motorsport crew. Through attrition and other driver missteps, she finished 14th in the 200-lap race. The next step is the Rookie Orientation Program on May 6-7 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Much like she did April 26 to secure an Indy Racing League license to compete at Kansas, Duno will have to impress chief steward Brian Barnhart and past 500-Mile Race champions Johnny Rutherford and Al Unser with consistency and speed in order to share the racing surface when full-scale practice commences May 8. "Another tough moment, sure," said Duno, who will drive the No. 23 CITGO Dallara/Honda/Firestone. "Everything is new. I'm learning in the fast way because I have to learn in the fast way. "I don't know Indy. I know it's a really fast track. But I learned so much in this race. It's 200 laps with traffic, high speed. Sure, in Indy I'll still be learning. Never you finish learning, the process to learn. Every day you are learning something new." In and out of various race cars, Duno - who earned four master's degrees in three years - always is a student. "Everything is a process and helps me to learn," she said. "I really start to learn about Indianapolis (this) week. With Pancho (Carter), my driver coach, he's going to help me, explain me everything. I am in the process to learn everything. When I race in Indy, I will tell you later what is the difference."
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