Katherine Legge holds nothing back in a blunt verdict on ‘awful’ car after grueling Cup Series debut: “I wish we hadn’t made the changes”

NASCAR Cup Series debutant Katherine Legge delivered a blunt verdict after succumbing to a DNF at the Phoenix Raceway. The British Motorsports driver became the 17th female to participate in the Premier level and the first since Danica Patrick's last dance at the 2018 Daytona 500.

The Shriners Children's 312-lap battle was filled with chaos, resulting in 10 cautions for 70 laps. Legge was among the early victims. The #78 Chevrolet driver for Live Fast Motorsports encountered troubles soon after the race went green, spinning out on Lap 5 and triggering the first caution. However, she took control of her NextGen machine and pressed on in pursuit of a promising result.

Nonetheless, the crew's 'awful' pre-race adjustments with the Chevrolet Camaro derailed her debut run, as she found herself in trouble yet again on Lap 216. But this time, Daniel Suarez's charging #99 Trackhouse Racing Chevy wrecked Legge, ending her day prematurely.

Following the ordeal, Legge voiced her concern about the changed ride, expressing what she wished instead.

"It was really a rough start. We made some changes to the car overnight, and they were awful. I was hanging on like from the first stint, I was so loose, and then we kept making adjustments, so we kept making the car way more stable for me...I wish we hadn't made the changes," Katherine Legge told Bob Pockrass.

The Phoenix battle witnessed Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell claim his third win in a row, with Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson rounding out the podium.

Katherine Legge opens up about her desire to run more Cup Series races

Katherine Legge is a versatile motorsports driver with commendable experience in IndyCar, IMSA SportsCar Championship, Formula E, and more. Moreover, the 44-year-old Surrey, England native holds the fastest qualifying speed by a woman in Indy 500's history.

However, the allure of competing in stock car racing's pinnacle level draws athletes from diverse motorsports disciplines around the globe. Be it IndyCar legend Helio Castroneves, who recently debuted in the Daytona 500, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who ran in the Cup Series for a decade, and more, piloting the stock car is something many drivers wish to check off their list.

Legge got that opportunity through Live Fast Motorsports. Although she hoped to run at the Circuit of The Americas, the scarcity of time to prepare left her with no choice but to showcase her mettle in Phoenix.

Before embarking on her debut stint, the #78 driver opened up during the media availability about her NASCAR future.

"That would be awesome, yeah. I would love to do that. I don’t think that we have any expectation that we’re going to go out and be competitive. I think if we finish anything but last, that would be a win for us honestly because I don’t have the experience that any of these guys have," Katherine Legge said via Speedway Digest.

It's worth mentioning that while Legge admitted being at peace in finishing last beforehand, she could've posted a better result had she not spun out while running in 28th.