How about a round of applause to our NASCAR guy, Nick Bromberg, for 1) answering emails while on a cruise and 2) banging out a lil’ somethin’ on the Indy 500? Ah, the drive and desire of plucky college kids. This woman? That’s Milka Duno, a former naval engineer who bears a mild resemblance to Charo. Also, she used to be a model and “poor man’s Danica Patrick” is her nickname. Nick’s take after the jump.

Milka Duno has gotten about a fifth of the press that Danica has gotten, and with good reason.

Looks aside (decide for yourself), she’s done nothing to separate herself as a groundbreaking female driver. Heck, she’s known more for being bad than anything else. After Ashley Judd’s husband, Dario Franchitti, won the season title last year, the actress called out Duno for being slow, and wanted the IRL to get her off the track.

Duno was racing on an underfunded team last year, and while she’s on a better team this year, the results haven’t been there. She’s already drawn the ire of Ryan Briscoe for a wreck in the season’s first race, and she starts back in the pack at Indianapolis on Sunday.

Some have speculated that she’s in the IRL to get more exposure for Citgo, and that her presence is a ploy by Hugo Chavez. There have also been whispers about her age, although, really, who cares.

Duno burst onto the scene as another Danica, hoping to play her looks to her advantage. Problem is, sex will only take a driver so far. In two years, Duno will be out of the sport, and in five years, no one will remember her name.

Yeah, that’s harsh. But Danica had put together some great runs and good finishes before she won. We haven’t seen anything like that from Duno. And we won’t.