Katherine Legg to Make History in NASCAR-IndyCar Double

Katherine Legg is set to become the first woman to tackle the challenging NASCAR-IndyCar double later this month. If you aren’t familiar, it’s when a driver participates in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. These events are scheduled for the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

Only five drivers have attempted this feat, covering a total of 1,100 miles in a single day. Among them, Tony Stewart is the only one to complete the distance successfully, finishing 6th at Indy and 3rd at Charlotte back in 2001.

Others who have taken on this challenge include John Andretti, Robbie Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Kyle Larson, the latter of whom had to delay the start of the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 due to rain affecting the Indy 500, ultimately facing disappointment in both races last season.

Katherine Legg’s Background in Racing

At 45 years old, Legg has a wealth of experience in both series. She made her NASCAR Cup Series debut last season and managed a career-best 17th place finish in the Brickyard 400. Just last weekend at Watkins Glen, she finished in 35th place, with six of her eight races ending 30th or lower.

This will mark her fifth Indy 500 entry, with her best performance being a 22nd place finish in the 2012 race. Legg commented, “It’s meticulously organized down to the minute. I’m going to have to make a lot of left turns that day. I hope the weather holds out. I can go anywhere.”

Legg’s attempt at “The Double” is noteworthy, occurring 50 years after Janet Guthrie became the first woman to run a practice lap at the Indy 500, despite not qualifying that year. Guthrie subsequently participated in the World 600, finishing 15th.

In the following year, she made history again by being the first woman to compete in both the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500. Danica Patrick is perhaps the most recognized female racer in this realm; she finished third in the 2009 Indy 500 and held the pole position for the 2013 Daytona 500. After retiring post-2018 Daytona 500, she was the last woman to race in the Cup Series until Legg’s debut last season.

Legg shared some thoughts on the current state of female representation in racing, noting, “There doesn’t seem to be anyone waiting in the wings ready to take on that mantra. How many years from now is there going to be another me? We need to develop the next generation so they can pass the baton to me, so to speak.” She expressed concern about the current gap on both the open-wheel and NASCAR sides.