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 Text: Reid Davis; Photos: Marie Garcia & Reid Davis
In 2008 I had the pleasure to introduce Nashville eSpanglish Magazine readers to a couple of extraordinary driver personalities from the world of the IRL IndyCar Racing Series (now known as the IZOD IndyCar Series). Although I have spoken with the two of them at different racetracks since the last IRL race at Nashville in July 2008, I had not had the privilege to sit down with Brazilian Helio Castroneves (eSpanglish; Spring 2008) and Venezuelan Milka Duno (eSpanglish; Fall 2008) until Labor Day weekend (2010) at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky.
The past couple of years have not only brought continued success but also personal and professional challenges to these two individuals. Their way of handling adversity, as strong people committed to their principles, has made Milka and Helio champions in facing life’s problems. It has also served as a guide for them to enjoy their success as well as being inspiration to others.
Milka Duno
Milka Duno is a beauty from Caracas with four Masters Degrees and a successful and diverse racing career. When I first met with Milka in July of 2008, she had recently made her movie debut in the film SpeedRacer and had published her first children’s book, Go, Milka, Go! She had also recently announced her national nonprofit organization, MANA Milka Way Program, that she described as “designed to help and encourage the young people, the young girls, to stay in school, develop values, self-esteem and responsibility.” As I've witnessed, her affection and outreach to children is exhibited not only in the assembly halls of her lectures but at international racetracks.
For all of Milka’s accomplishments, the area in which this passionate lady continues to aspire for success is in the IndyCar Series. When asked what aspects of her life that she was most proud of, she answered, “I’m so proud of my education because it was so hard. I’m also very proud of my racing career but I want more; I’m extremely competitive and I want to do better and better in IndyCar.” Unfortunately, success in racing comes from having a team budget that allows for program development, testing, practice and race-day track time. Throughout her IndyCar career, Milka has been regulated to teams that have not afforded her these necessities.
The 2010 season has been Milka’s first full schedule in her four year IndyCar career. Still sponsored by Citgo Oil; Dale Coyne Racing is Milka's third team to drive for. It has also been her most personally challenging year as she has been the “Target” of an ongoing and unjustified campaign. Due to my utmost respect for Milka, I refuse to give her detractors any copy space. She is also not granting media interview requests. However, Milka made an exception to speak exclusively to Nashville eSpanglish Magazine.
I didn’t want to use Milka’s time focused on racing, although when complemented, she let me know very quickly that she wasn’t happy with her qualifying effort on that Friday. Her competitive edge and determination is certainly still there! She’s also a private person who’s very protective of her personal life and will let you know if you get “too close.” In today’s mass media Internet world, that’s completely understandable.
Opening Comment: Milka, I understand the situation that you’ve been going through and I want to thank you for the honor and privilege of being the only media person that you have agreed to meet with.
Milka: “Thank you, you’re so welcome.”
Q: The first time we met in Nashville, you had just announced your MANA Milka Way Program. Would you give us an update?
Milka: “Milka Way Program is now in eleven countries and I’m going for country number twelve in Japan (next stop on the 2010 IndyCar schedule). I have been (with Milka Way) in Venezuela, Columbia, Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Chile, United States and now I will be going to Japan.”
Comment: That’s incredible after only two years, obviously a very successful program.
Milka: “Oh, it’s very nice and it’s been so successful with the children, with the little kids because after they go to the program, they have more interest to study and to do good in school. I’ve had kids that had left the university and they go back to their studies.”
Q: How have you used your life experiences to influence others?
Milka: “I think the only thing that I can give to the people....to the young people, is advice about what was helping me to be where I am now. This is what I am doing now with Milka Way, trying to motivate and make them understand how important education is in the life of everyone.”
Q: Who were the people who had the most influence on you?
Milka: “My parents were so hard working and the principles in school then, they worked with my brother and me. They helped us to do good and finish in school. I appreciate so much the good examples and the dedication they showed to us, to help us graduate and to be where we are now.”
Q: In your outreach to young people, do have a message for the kids, or anyone, who may come to you with a problem or an adversity that they’re facing? Maybe something that you have learned through your experiences?
Milka: “I do that when I’m talking to them through the Milka Way Program. I explain to them the importance of an education and in another way I explain how it’s going to have to be to reach their goals and everything that they want to do in their lives.”
Comment: With Nashville eSpanglish Magazine being a lifestyle publication and since we covered your driver background in our first article, I would like to move away from the racing side. One area that I was not aware of, until we did the first interview, was what a wonderful sense of humor you have. What makes you laugh?
Milka: (laughs) “What makes me laugh? Sometimes the dumb things...(laughing)...yeah, sometimes the most stupid things make me laugh. When I go see a movie, it has to be one that makes me laugh, it has to be funny but....how you say....dumb funny.”
Q: So, you prefer only comedy films? No drama or romance?
 Milka: “No, no, only comedies.”
...Q: Talking about going to a movie leads into my next question. How do you spend your leisure time or time off?
Milka: “I don’t have too much time off, in between races I’m working to prepare for the next track. Sometimes I have to be at a school or meeting with the sponsors. There is not much free time but I enjoy what I’m doing. I love to work, I love to study, I love to prepare the race car from the engineering aspect, I love doing all of that.”
Q: During the (racing) off-season, do you do any traveling either for business or pleasure?
Milka: “Sometimes during the off season I will do motivational speeches if a company request that I come and speak to their employees.”
Comment: You really do love to work and keep busy....
Milka: “Yes, I do love to work and study and keep myself busy in that way.”
Comment: Because there is public interest in celebrities and “personalities” such as Milka, I asked a couple of question (that I made the decision to ask only at that moment) concerning her personal life that made her feel a bit uncomfortable. I’ve earned her trust and she has my respect so we laughed about it and moved on.
Q: Do you have any “guilty pleasures” you would like to disclose? You know, any self indulgence, anything that you pamper yourself with; be it shopping or chocolate?
Milka: “Guilty pleasures? When I’m by myself at home, I’ll take a piece of bread and put chocolate over it and eat it......so it’s chocolate.”
Q: With your diverse driving background and the many different prototypes of cars that you have driven, are you a “car person”? Do you enjoy driving when not at a track?
Milka: “I like to drive, especially when I have finished a race; it helps me to relax. When I have to go to the next city, I prefer to drive instead of flying.”
Q: I'm always curious as to the type of cars that racing drivers own. So, what's parked in your driveway or garage....Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche?
Milka: “No, I just have a little Lotus Elise and another car. I have.....let’s see one, two, three, four; I have four cars in Caracas. So yes, I like cars. I have four cars in Caracas but only two in Miami.”
Q: So you do have a residence in Caracas? I didn’t know if you had a home there or even if you had the opportunity to return for visits as often as you would like.
Milka: “Yes, I go every chance I can.”
Q: To wrap this (interview) up; with all of your life’s accomplishments, and racing being just one chapter, how do you see the future for Milka Duno?
Milka: “What is the future?.....I think you have to already have in your present. Everything that you’re going to have in the future depends how hard you are working now in the present. So a successful future will depend on what you are doing here and now.”
(Whatever her future endeavors, Milka Duno is already a winner in life. To borrow lines from a couple of her IndyCar peers’ ad campaigns, Milka has “won the IZOD race to the party because when you Peak, you win!”)
Closing Comment: Milka, thank you very much for taking this time. We respect you and I wish you the very best for this race, for the rest of the season and next year.
Milka: “You are so welcome; thank you very much. My guys (race team) are working very hard during the race and at the shop. I appreciate so much how hard they work to give me a good race car. I can’t do my best job without them. We’re working so hard and improving in every race. Thank you.”
For more information on Milka Duno: www.milkaduno.com & www.indycar.com
Helio Castroneves
Life, both on and off the racetrack, has been anything but ordinary for Helio who is the highly successful driver of the number three Team Penske IndyCar and former champion of the TV reality show Dancing With The Stars. Along with his sister Kati, Helio has been through the highly publicized US Federal indictments, arrest and trail (October 2008-April 2009) for tax evasion (which he fought and won but was facing any combination of a high dollar penalty fine, several years in prison or deportation if convicted). He won his third Indy 500 in May, 2009, became the father of daughter Mikaella in December 2009, and has experienced the expectations (and disappointments) of another Indy 500 win and his first career Championship for the 2010 racing season.
Opening Comment: Helio, how are you doing? I know it’s a late Friday night so I first want to thank you for taking the time for this interview.
Helio: “No problem man, you’re welcome.”
Comment: (We spent a few moments discussing the events and preparations for that Saturday night’s race in which Helio won and performed his trademark post victory fence climb) You and I haven’t had the chance to do a proper interview in a while so I would like to review the past couple of years.
Helio: “Sure, let’s do it!”
Q: Going back to the end of the 2008 racing season, seven false US Federal indictments led to an unimaginable situation for you and your sister. But you stood firm, had your day in court and prevailed. Would you give a summation of that period?
Helio: “Certainly it was a unique situation for me. I was not familiar with a lot of terms they were using in court; it was a story they (US Government) were making up and we’re just in the middle of it. For me, it teaches living simple is living better. Certainly, family is the biggest thing in my life right now. I am a father now and I have to look after this little one. It certainly changed me; it was very difficult. It hurt me quite a lot, the scars are going to be there and that’s never going to change but, got to move on. What doesn’t break you, makes you stronger and inside me, I’m feeling much stronger. But, it was a very difficult situation for my entire family.”
Q: In April of 2009, you and Kati are acquitted. You make a triumphant return to racing highlighted by first, your third career Indy 500 Pole followed by your third Indy 500 win. How sweet did that bottle of milk taste?
(Indy 500 tradition for the race winner to be presented with milk in Victory Circle)
Helio: (laughs) “Yeah, it was really cool, I have to say that was a great feeling and I will never forget that moment.”
Q: The 2010 racing season opened on the streets of Sao Paulo in your home country of Brazil. How special was it to be performing in your native country?
Helio: “It was great! Certainly it was a lot of fun having my friends, especially the old timers being able to see me in the IndyCar, in the big series, and that the whole hard work (I had put in) had paid off.....so it was great.”
Q: Do you maintain a residence in Brazil?
Helio: “No, I do not; I am now a resident of the United States.”
Q: So, are you following the upcoming October presidential election in Brazil?
Helio: “I am keeping in touch. My parents still live there so I’m still in touch but not as close as if I was living there.”
Q: After Sao Paulo came the race at Barber (Motorsports Complex in Birmingham, Alabama). You win the race, do your fence climbing celebration and then introduce your baby daughter Mikaella to the world in Victory Circle. Would you describe that moment?
Helio: “It was incredible! This moment, I was actually dreaming of it and I’m so glad that we were able to achieve that early in the season. It was awesome; it was a lot of fun. I want twenty years from now when Mikaella sees the pictures, she’ll be happy and proud of her dad.”
Q: At this year’s Indy 500, you captured your fourth Pole, won the pit stop challenge and was declared as the heavy favorite to win your fourth “500” (Helio finished eighth). With your and Mr. Penske’s success at that track, how much pressure did you put on yourself?
Helio: “Well, I want to win as badly as anybody. No question about it, I enjoy very much driving for Roger (Penske) and I think it’s a mutual situation. When it’s put all together, it ends up being a good partnership and I hope we can continue with that for many more years.”
Comment: It must be a very satisfying and comforting feeling to know that every time you go to a racetrack, you have a realistic chance of winning.
Helio: “Oh yes, it’s always good to be in great equipment and as I said, it’s thrilling to be a part of such an incredible organization.”
Comment: You’ve been in the mix all (2010) season for your first Championship. Then came the road course at Edmonton (Canada). You and your team did everything to put you in a position to win the race only to have it taken away by “Race Control”. It was obviously devastating to you emotionally and to your Championship hopes. Would you care to comment?
( Helio was leading the race with three laps remaining when he was penalized by League Officials for what they deemed “blocking the advancement” of the 2nd place car driven by his teammate Will Power. He was officially credited with a 10th place finish but the points he lost ruined any hopes Helio had for his 1st Series Title. He was very angry after the race and this penalty ranks as one of the most controversial in League history.)
Helio: “Well, you know every year is a season that you learn from it. This year, Will’s having a fantastic season (Power leads for the Series Title with two races left) so we just hope that the Team will benefit from this Championship and who knows....next year we get things right and it will be our chance.”
Q: Moving away from racing, Nashville eSpanglish Magazine is a lifestyle publication. How would you describe Helio’s “style”?
Helio: (laughs) “A fun loving guy....a fun guy who loves what I do.”
Q: Any wedding plans in the near, or not so near, future for you and Adriana?
Helio: “I hope so; I certainly have my family already and I hope I will be getting married soon.”
Q: Is she also Brazilian?
Helio: “No she’s Colombian......(laughs) yeah, we’ll keep that Latin blood.”
Q: Do you still have your Beagle dog “Tugi”?
Helio: “Yeah, Tugi’s still around. He’s living with my sister because right now, I’m living in an apartment in Ft. Lauderdale (Florida). But, I always see him and I’m sure we’re going to be reunited one day.”
Q: I recently saw you interviewed on Telemundo TV concerning something called “Drive Miami”. What is “Drive Miami”?
Helio: “Drive Miami is like a time share for exotic cars. It’s a great concept; I did have my exotic cars in the past. I owned one, or several, but I noticed that it can be very expensive to maintain. Sometimes you have to change or replace something just because you don’t use them very much. I thought this was a great idea so I got involved and it’s pretty good. At the end of the day, if you want to drive a great car, you can do it on the weekend and with this concept you can give the key back, they pick it up and you don’t have to worry about it.”
Q: Helio, you’re certainly a celebrity. Is it a problem for you and your family to enjoy an evening out?
Helio: “Oh no, it’s not as bad. I enjoy it very much when people come up and talk about racing but especially Dancing With The Stars. When you put yourself in that situation, you gotta be prepared for all these things and certainly I enjoy it very much.”
Closing Comment: Helio, thank you very much for the time. Have a successful and safe remainder of the racing season and a happy and safe off-season.
Helio: “I’ll do that, thank you very much.”
Update: In concluding the 2010 IndyCar season, Helio won the race in Japan (his third victory) and finished fourth in the final Championship standings.
For more information on Helio Castroneves: heliocastroneves.com, indycar.com. teampenskeracing.com.
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