At 44, British driver Katherine Legge is set to make history as the first woman in seven years to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series, the premier tier of American motorsports. Her landmark moment will unfold on Sunday, March 9, during the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Legge will drive the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports, a part-time team owned by B.J. and Jessica McLeod. The last woman to race in the Cup Series was Danica Patrick at the 2018 Daytona 500, and Legge’s debut marks a significant step forward for female representation in a sport long dominated by men. With over two decades of racing experience, including victories in open-wheel and sports car events, she brings a robust resume to her first Cup race on a challenging 1-mile oval.
Live Fast Motorsports announced Legge’s participation on March 3, sparking anticipation among fans and analysts. Born in Guildford, England, Legge has five starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with a standout 14th-place finish at Road America in 2018. Recently, she raced in the ARCA Menards Series, finishing 9th at Daytona’s season opener in February, and tested her skills at the Chili Bowl Nationals on a dirt oval. Her core expertise lies in IndyCar, where she’s competed in four Indy 500s, setting a women’s fastest lap record in 2023 at 231.627 mph (373 km/h). This diverse background positions her as one of the most versatile drivers to enter NASCAR’s top level.
The Shriners Children’s 500 is the third race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, following the Daytona 500 on February 16 and Atlanta the week prior. The Phoenix event, a 312-lap battle on a tight, strategy-heavy oval, will air live on Fox Sports in the U.S., starting at 3:30 p.m. local time. For Legge, it’s a chance to expand her legacy; for Live Fast, which lost its full-time charter in 2023, it’s an opportunity to gain exposure with sponsors like DROPLiGHT and Sherfick Companies backing her. Her debut reignites discussions about women in NASCAR, where only 19 female drivers have raced in the Cup Series since Janet Guthrie’s pioneering run in 1976.
Legge’s career peaks with Phoenix debut
Katherine Legge’s road to the NASCAR Cup Series is a testament to her tenacity. Starting in karting at age 9, she climbed through British series like Formula Ford, Formula Renault, and Formula 3, becoming the first woman to secure a pole in a Zetec race in 2000 and outpacing Kimi Räikkönen’s lap record in 2001. Her international breakthrough came in 2005 with a win in the Toyota Atlantic series, making her the first female victor in a major North American open-wheel race. That success propelled her to Champ Car until 2007, where she endured severe crashes that honed her resilience.
In recent years, Legge solidified her status in U.S. racing with notable stints in IndyCar and the IMSA SportsCar Championship, earning four wins and a runner-up finish at the 2018 Daytona 24 Hours. In 2024, she ran seven IndyCar races with Dale Coyne Racing and Rick Ware Racing, including the Indy 500, alongside select IMSA events, showcasing her adaptability across disciplines. Her NASCAR journey began in 2018 with four Xfinity Series starts, returning for one more in 2023 at Road America, finishing 24th. Her Cup Series debut in Phoenix caps a career defined by trailblazing and versatility.
Phoenix Raceway isn’t an arbitrary choice. The 1-mile oval, with banked turns and a flatter backstretch, demands precision and oval-racing savvy—skills Legge is still mastering, given her road-course roots. In 2024, NASCAR hosted two Phoenix races: Christopher Bell won in March, and Joey Logano claimed the championship in November. For Legge, adapting to the Next Gen car, introduced in 2022 to level the field, will be key in a track known for tight racing and pivotal pit strategies.
Breaking a barrier rekindles NASCAR representation
Katherine Legge’s entry into the NASCAR Cup Series ends a seven-year drought since Danica Patrick’s final race in 2018. Patrick, with 191 starts from 2012 to 2018, peaked with a 6th-place finish in Atlanta and remains the only woman to lead laps in the Daytona 500. Before her, Janet Guthrie blazed the trail in 1976, racing 33 times through 1980 with a best of 6th at Bristol. Legge’s debut adds to a legacy of 19 women in Cup history, yet underscores their rarity: female starts account for just 121 of over 60,000 since 1949.
Live Fast Motorsports, Legge’s team, operates without a full-time charter after B.J. McLeod sold theirs in 2023, limiting them to select races. For 2025, they planned seven events, including superspeedways and the Coca-Cola 600, but added Phoenix to the slate. Jessica McLeod, co-owner and CEO, praised Legge’s experience as a game-changer, aligning with the team’s Next Gen-era goal of spotlighting fresh talent. In 2024, McLeod failed to qualify for Daytona but finished 22nd in Atlanta, signaling modest ambitions despite budget constraints.
Legge’s debut carries broader implications. With women comprising less than 5% of drivers in NASCAR’s national series historically, her presence could inspire future generations. In 2023, only Legge and Hailie Deegan raced in Xfinity, while Jennifer Jo Cobb and Toni Breidinger ran in Trucks. Her Phoenix run, broadcast nationally, might push the sport to bolster diversity efforts like the Drive for Diversity program, launched in 2004, amid a fanbase where women make up 20% of TV viewers.
Journey to Phoenix demands adaptation and grit
Reaching the NASCAR Cup Series at 44 wasn’t straightforward for Katherine Legge. Her stock car foray began in 2018 with JD Motorsports in Xfinity, tackling road courses like Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen, with a 14th at Road America as her peak. She returned in 2023 with SS-Green Light Racing for one Xfinity race, hampered by sponsorship woes with Blast Equality Collab. Early 2025 saw her test an oval in ARCA at Daytona, starting 9th but crashing out after three laps, making Phoenix her first serious oval test in the Cup Series.
Preparation for the Shriners Children’s 500 involved rigorous training with Live Fast Motorsports, which provided the No. 78 Chevrolet with Chevrolet’s technical backing and B.J. McLeod’s crew. Legge also raced in January’s Chili Bowl Nationals on a dirt oval, broadening her skill set. At Phoenix, she’ll rely on DROPLiGHT, a business studio, and Sherfick Companies, a construction firm, for sponsorship. The 312-lap race pits her against the Next Gen car’s 3,500-pound (1,587 kg) frame and Goodyear tires tailored for short ovals—a leap from IndyCar’s lighter single-seaters.
The event tests her endurance and tactics. Phoenix Raceway, seating 52,000, drew over 100,000 fans across two 2024 races, averaging 2.5 million viewers on Fox in March. Legge aims to finish among the expected 36-car field, leveraging Live Fast’s non-charter status to secure her spot without excess entries.
Key milestones in Legge’s racing career
Legge’s path to the NASCAR Cup Series is paved with notable achievements. Here are her standout moments:
- 2000: First woman to take pole in Zetec racing in the UK.
- 2005: Won in Toyota Atlantic, a female first in North American open-wheel racing.
- 2018: Xfinity Series debut, with 14th at Road America.
- 2023: Set Indy 500 women’s speed record at 231.627 mph.
- March 9: NASCAR Cup Series debut at Phoenix.
These milestones trace her rise as a versatile racing pioneer.
What to expect from her Phoenix debut
Katherine Legge’s run in the Shriners Children’s 500 isn’t about instant wins but carries immense symbolic weight. Live Fast Motorsports prioritizes finishing races, and Legge faces the hurdle of a congested short oval where passing is tough and pit stops often decide outcomes. In 2024, Christopher Bell won from 13th, leading 50 laps at 105.397 mph (169.6 km/h), highlighting the track’s demands.
Fans will witness a barrier-breaking moment in a series with just 0.2% female starts since 1949. NASCAR hopes Legge’s debut draws new viewers, especially women, who form 20% of its TV audience. Aired on Fox Sports and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the race features 36 confirmed cars, with Legge’s entry secured by Live Fast’s open slot.