KATHERINE LEGGE Makes NASCAR History, First Woman Top 20 in 8 Years at Chicago

July 9, 2025

• KATHERINE LEGGE rewrote the record books at Chicago’s Grant Park 165, becoming the first woman to finish in the NASCAR Cup Series top 20 in eight years with a career-best 19th place. After crashing in practice and starting dead last due to post-qualifying penalties, she methodically carved through the field on a street circuit that rewards road racing expertise – exactly the kind of experience she brings from conquering everything from IMSA to IndyCar to Formula E.
• The weekend started with drama as LEGGE had to qualify her way into the race with only four open spots available for five hopefuls. Despite early practice troubles, she delivered when it mattered most, outpacing Truck Series championship leader Corey Heim by a tenth to lock down her grid spot and silence the doubters who questioned whether she belonged on NASCAR’s biggest stage.
• Race day showcased LEGGE’s racecraft as she navigated multiple incidents, including a mid-race spin that sent her into the barriers, yet stayed on the lead lap and kept climbing. Her road racing background proved invaluable on Chicago’s technical street circuit, where she ran consistent lap times and capitalized on late-race chaos to break into the top 20 – surpassing Danica Patrick’s 2017 result as the most recent women’s Cup Series top 20.

chicago street race, grant park 165, live fast motorsports, nascar cup series