KATHERINE LEGGE Battles NASCAR Testing Restrictions in Next Gen Learning Curve

August 22, 2025

by Shivranjini Parihar // from www.essentiallysports.com

• KATHERINE LEGGE’s NASCAR transition exposes the brutal reality of learning Next Gen cars without adequate testing opportunities. Live Fast Motorsports co-owner B.J. McLeod candidly admits she’d benefit from more seat time, pointing to her consistent post-race feedback of wishing they “could have started there” after figuring out setups during live competition.
• NASCAR’s testing restrictions create a catch-22 for developmental drivers like LEGGE, who’s learning on the fly through accidents at Rockingham and Talladega plus string of 30th-place finishes. McLeod acknowledges the sport’s fear that any testing loopholes would be immediately exploited by powerhouse teams like Hendrick, turning driver development into another expensive arms race.
• The current system forces newcomers into a sink-or-swim scenario where LEGGE’s road course background helps but oval experience comes at the cost of crashed cars and missed opportunities. While NASCAR’s 2025 Open Exemption Provisional offers limited relief, it’s designed for logistics management rather than the comprehensive practice time that would actually accelerate learning curves for drivers breaking into stock car racing.

live fast motorsports, nascar cup series, nascar xfinity series, next gen car