Katherine Legge will develop into the primary lady to race within the NASCAR Cup Sequence in over seven years on March 9 at Phoenix Raceway.
On Monday, it was introduced that Legge will pilot the Reside Quick Motorsports No. 78 Chevrolet within the Shriners Kids’s 500, changing into the primary feminine to make a Cup Sequence begin since Danica Patrick within the 2018 Daytona 500.
Legge has 5 NASCAR Xfinity Sequence begins to her credit score, and ran the ARCA Menards Sequence season-opener at Daytona on Feb. 15.
Her relative lack of expertise in a inventory automotive does not imply she’s unqualified, nonetheless. Legge boasts accolades in numerous racing disciplines. She has 19 NTT IndyCar Sequence begins to her identify, together with 4 begins within the Indianapolis 500.
Legge has additionally gained 4 races within the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship. In 2018, Legge completed second within the sequence’ factors standings with a median end of three.4.
Her path to NASCAR’s premier division hasn’t precisely been standard, nevertheless it’s not the primary time feminine drivers have come to NASCAR from different racing disciplines. The aforementioned Patrick was a race winner in IndyCar earlier than venturing to NASCAR.
Janet Guthrie ran 33 NASCAR Cup Sequence races from 1976-80, and have become the primary lady to guide a lap in a NASCAR Cup Sequence race. Like Legge, Guthrie competed in a number of Indy 500s, making three begins within the race from 1977-79.
Patty Moise started her profession within the aforementioned IMSA sequence earlier than starting a NASCAR Busch (now Xfinity) Sequence profession that spanned 133 races. Moise ran her last Busch Sequence race in 1998.
Legge’s NASCAR Cup Sequence debut on Sunday will keep on the historical past of girls competing at NASCAR’s highest degree, and her unconventional highway to Phoenix reveals her potential to compete in a plethora of racing disciplines. It is not assured {that a} driver in search of to make their Cup Sequence debut will get accepted to run within the race – particularly in the event that they lack stock-car expertise – however Legge’s begin on Sunday proves that she possesses the expertise essential to compete with the very best drivers on this planet.
