MILKA DUNO PREPARES FOR HER ROOKIE TEST DRIVE at Kansas Speedway. After completing the test Thursday, Duno was cleared to make her Indy Racing League debut Sunday.

For the first time since premiering at the Kansas Speedway in 2002, the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series is racing in April instead of its usual appearance in early July.

But with the new date also comes a new face to the IndyCar Series – female driver Milka Duno, who passed her speed-phase rookie testing Thursday at the speedway to earn her IndyCar racing license.

“I’m happy. I guess now I am Indy,” said Duno in a press release. “We had a good test. We didn’t have all the track time that we were suppose to leading up to this because of the weather conditions. My team did a great job getting the car prepared. … I was trying to do the best I could and follow the grooves. But this is just the first step.

“Like everyone else, you start with your first race. Every driver has to get experience, and it starts with the first race. The first practice, the first qualifying, the first race.”

With the addition of Duno to the field of 21 – which includes current female drivers Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher – the Kansas Lottery Indy 300 on Sunday will be the first time three female drivers are expected to compete in one race.

Duno, a 34-year-old Venezuelan, had been competing for SAMAX Motorsport in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series.

“We’re very happy,” SAMAX Motorsport owner Peter Baron said. “With all the drama of the rain and cold, it’s definitely exciting to be ready and moving forward to Sunday. I feel like we’ve just passed our college exams. It’s nice to get that done and over with. It’s exciting, but now we are on to the next chapter.”

However, Duno will have to handle a talented field with multiple IRL champions and former IndyCar winners at the Kansas Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. – last year’s race winner and defending IRL IndyCar Series champion – and Tony Kanaan, the 2005 race winner, are some of the more notable entries.

“I think it will definitely be more competitive and there will be more cars there,” said Buddy Rice, who won at the speedway in 2004. “We know there will be more cars than we normally have. I think there will be 22 cars showing up for the race, and that will make a difference with the few extra cars out there. I think it could be definitely more competitive, and, you know, everybody is gearing up for the month of May. So it will be interesting to see what happens.”

The race weekend starts with the Kansas Lottery $150 Grand ARCA RE/MAX Series event today. On Saturday the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will run the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 – following Indy qualifying – with it all culminating in the Kansas Lottery Indy 300 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

¢ Another debut: Josh Wise, the 2006 USAC National Sprint Car Series Champion, will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 on Saturday. Wise will be running the No. 00 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Toyota Tundra fielded by Darrell Waltrip Motorsports.

“Many drivers strive to be in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,” Wise said. “I have waited what feels like forever to get into the truck and race. This is an outstanding opportunity for me and a big step in my career thanks to the support of Aaron’s and the Waltrip’s.”