Katherine Legge Makes History as the First Woman to Compete in NASCAR Cup Series Since 2018

Katherine Legge made history by becoming the first woman in seven years to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 44-year-old English driver debuted at the Shriners Children’s 500 on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona, though her race ended early after a crash.

Legge was running 28th on lap 216 when contact with another driver caused her car to spin out. In the process, she collided with Daniel Suárez, who was in sixth place at the time. This incident ultimately ended her race.

Driving the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports, Legge became the 17th woman to compete in NASCAR's premier series and the first since Danica Patrick, who last raced in 2018.

Though Legge faced some struggles early in the race, including a spin that she was able to regain control from, she saw improvements throughout the event. "It was a rough start, but the team made some great adjustments during the race," she said in an interview with Fox Sports. "We were pretty quick compared to the field, so it wasn’t all bad. We were searching for pace and found it as the race went on."

Reflecting on her debut, Legge remained optimistic. "It’s been a baptism of fire. There were mistakes, but I learned a lot. Hopefully, I can come back and do it again," she added.

Legge, from Guildford, England, has extensive racing experience, including seven IndyCar Series starts in 2024 and four appearances at the Indianapolis 500. In 2023, she set the record for the fastest qualifying time by a woman in the Indy 500.

Before the race, Legge shared her thoughts on the challenges of being a woman in racing and expressed a desire for more female representation. "It’s disappointing that there aren’t more women in IndyCar, NASCAR Cup, and sports cars," she said. "People always ask what it’s like to be a girl in racing, but I can only speak from my own experience. My journey has had its highs and lows, and I’ve learned how to mentally overcome the struggles."

Looking ahead, Legge expressed hope for future opportunities in the Cup Series. "It would be awesome to get more chances to race here," she said. "We’re not expecting to be competitive right away. Finishing anywhere but last would feel like a win for us, considering my lack of experience compared to these drivers. But with time, we hope to develop both me and the car and improve."

Christopher Bell triumphed in the race, securing his third consecutive victory, with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson completing the top three. Bell’s win makes him only the 29th driver in the modern NASCAR Cup Series era (post-1972) to achieve such a feat, and the first since Larson in 2021.

The NASCAR Cup Series continues next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.