KATHERINE LEGGE Breaks 6-Year NASCAR Drought While HAILIE DEEGAN Exits Sport

March 3, 2025

by Shubham Shekher // from www.essentiallysports.com

GRRL! SUMMARY:

KATHERINE LEGGE is set to break NASCAR’s six-year drought of female drivers in the Cup Series when she debuts at Phoenix Raceway on March 9, driving the No. 78 Droplight Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports. The 44-year-old veteran brings serious credentials—she holds the record for fastest qualifying time by a woman at Indianapolis 500 and has extensive experience across ARCA, Xfinity, and open-wheel racing. Her debut comes just one day after International Women’s Day, marking the first time a woman has competed in Cup Series since Danica Patrick’s final race at the 2018 Daytona 500.
HAILIE DEEGAN’s departure from NASCAR underscores the brutal reality facing women in stock car racing. Despite massive social media following, manufacturer backing, and high expectations as the sport’s next female star, her Truck and Xfinity campaigns never gained traction. After failing to crack the top 10 in 17 Xfinity races and parting ways with AM Racing mid-season, she walked away admitting “it has not turned out the way that I expected.” Her exit highlights how quickly opportunities can evaporate when performance doesn’t immediately match expectations.
The systemic challenges facing women in NASCAR go beyond individual talent—it’s about money, equipment, and patience. Female drivers rarely get rides with powerhouse teams like Hendrick or Joe Gibbs Racing, instead landing with smaller operations that lack competitive resources. Even DANICA PATRICK, despite strong sponsorship from GoDaddy and driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, never had equipment matching her teammates’ level. The ladder system proves particularly unforgiving for women, who face harsher judgment and shorter development windows than their male counterparts with similar statistics.