Tomas Enge: “I’ll try to show Milka some things from a driver’s perspective”
Jul 11, 2007
Enge to help Duno, SAMAX prepare for Nashville: Tomas Enge knows what Milka Duno is experiencing in her first IndyCar Series season. It takes more than a few laps to get accustomed to the speed of the car, in traffic, on unfamiliar high-banked ovals.
Enge will assist Duno in preparation for the Firestone Indy 200 this weekend. SAMAX Motorsport has engaged the Czech driver to set up the No. 23 CITGO Honda-powered Dallara during testing on the demanding 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway concrete oval before Duno gets in the seat.
“I’ll try to show Milka some things from a driver’s perspective, help her understand more of the car,” said Enge, who started from the pole and finished seventh in the America Le Mans Series GT2 class race at Lime Rock (Conn.) Park on July 7. “Milka will run the entire weekend and then continue with her plan.”
Enge was one of the drivers in the second SAMAX Motorsport Daytona Prototype entries for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January. Duno teamed with A.J. Foyt Racing’s Darren Manning, former IndyCar Series driver Patrick Carpentier and Ryan Dalziel in the sister car that recorded a runner-up finish. He also has represented the Czech Republic in A1GP and competed in ALMS this year.
“When I came to the IndyCar (Series) for the first time, I tested for Panther (Racing) in 2003 at (California Speedway in) Fontana,” said Enge, who has made 17 IndyCar Series starts. “That was pretty easy for me because it’s an easy track, the car was set up really good and I was alone on the track. Once I started to do the whole series, I kind of knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. Every track, every oval is a little different and you have to set up the car a little different.
“Then you have to act on it in the race in traffic. You just have to do slightly different things on each oval. It takes the whole season to learn, and the next season you can succeed more. I know it is very difficult for her to come from road course racing to IndyCar. The speed that the IndyCar is doing on ovals is just incredible. With all the cars around, it’s something you have to get used to.”
Enge said he would jump at the opportunity to return to the series full time.
“I’ve always said I’d like to come back,” he said. “I’m a big fan of high-adrenaline sports and IndyCar has the most adrenaline in car racing in the world.”
