This Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway will feature a fresh face behind the wheel. According to ESPN, Live Fast Motorsports announced Monday that Katherine Legge will drive the No. 78 Chevrolet in the Shriners Children’s 500, marking her first start in the series. She’ll be the first woman to compete in a Cup race since Danica Patrick ran the 2018 Daytona 500.
Legge, a 20-year racing veteran, spoke with The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck about the opportunity: “Entering the NASCAR Cup Series is a dream come true. Racing stock cars has been an incredibly fun and new challenge that’s given me a renewed sense of vigor for this sport.” She added, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to do what I love.” Her resume includes five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts—most recently at Road America in 2023—and time in IndyCar, where she raced a partial schedule in 2024. Legge has also tackled the Indianapolis 500 four times, setting a record in 2023 for the fastest qualifying speed by a woman.
Last month, she competed in the ARCA Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona, finishing 39th after an early wreck. This year, she even tried dirt-track racing and earned a spot in the Chili Bowl Nationals, per NASCAR.com. Jessica McLeod, who co-owns Live Fast Motorsports with her husband, driver B.J. McLeod, told Gluck, “The opportunity to have such a versatile and dynamic championship-winning driver join our program is exciting for everyone on our team.”
Legge’s Cup Series debut at Phoenix adds a new twist to the weekend, and fans will get to see how she handles the challenge on the one-mile oval. It’s a solid step for the seasoned racer as she takes on NASCAR’s top level.