KATHERINE LEGGE Breaks 6-Year Drought as First Woman in Cup Series Since 2018

March 3, 2025

by Michelle R. Martinelli // from ftw.usatoday.com

• KATHERINE LEGGE is breaking NASCAR’s glass ceiling this weekend, becoming the first woman to compete in Cup Series since Danica Patrick’s 2018 farewell at Daytona. She’ll pilot the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway, ending a six-year drought that honestly went on way too long for a sport trying to grow its audience.
• Don’t mistake this for a publicity stunt – LEGGE brings serious credentials including four Indy 500 starts and two qualifying records for women (231.627 mph single lap, 231.070 mph four-lap average in 2023). The 44-year-old English driver was the only woman in last year’s Indy 500 field, proving she belongs among elite open-wheel competition before making the jump to stock cars.
• While LEGGE has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts under her belt from 2018 and 2023, Sunday’s Cup Series debut represents the big leagues. Her previous NASCAR experience at tracks like Road America and Charlotte’s roval, plus recent ARCA competition at Daytona, shows she’s been methodically building toward this moment rather than jumping in cold.

indycar series, live fast motorsports, nascar cup series, phoenix raceway