“There was just no way to get everything done”: Katherine Legge reveals the ‘unfortunate’ ordeal that crushed her COTA debut hopes

Katherine Legge at the IndyCar: Indianapolis 500 - Source: Imagn

British driver Katherine Legge is set to make her NASCAR Cup Series debut on Sunday, March 10, at Phoenix Raceway during the Shriners Children’s 500. Speaking during media day on Friday, Legge explained how the previous race in COTA was supposed to be her debut instead of Phoenix but unfortunately there wasn't enough time for Live Fast Motorsports and herself to prepare for the race.

The 44-year-old, who has competed in various racing disciplines over her 25-year career, will be driving the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports. Speaking to the media on Friday, Legge explained how NASCAR had given her the option to compete either at COTA or Phoenix after reviewing her qualifications.

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Given that she has considerable experience in road-course racing, COTA seemed like the ideal choice for Legge to make her debut. However, logistical and preparation challenges made it impossible to complete the arrangements in time.

"Yes. I think I would've felt a whole different level of comfort if I had been at COTA this past weekend. We spoke about it; it was just really tough to get it done in the timeframe. So, we were in Atlanta, and NASCAR said you could do COTA or Phoenix. I was like COTA; COTA would be great, but there was just no way to get everything done and get the car ready for COTA. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but fortunately, here I am at Phoenix," Legge told media on Friday (via SpeedwayDigest).

With this start, Legge will become the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series since Danica Patrick's final appearance in the 2018 Daytona 500. Additionally, she will be the first woman to drive a Next-Gen car in the series.

Katherine Legge hopes to fly under the radar on her NCS debut

NASCAR: Katherine Legge at the ARCA Series - Practice - Source: Imagn

While this will be her first NASCAR Cup Series race, Katherine Legge is not entirely new to stock car racing. She has five career starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including one in 2023, and recently competed in the ARCA Menards Series race at Daytona International Speedway last month.

Beyond stock cars, her resume includes four Indianapolis 500 starts, where she made history in 2023 by setting the fastest qualifying time for a female driver. Despite her incredible experience in different motorsport disciplines, the challenge of adapting to the Next-Gen car remains significant.

Heading into Phoenix, Legge has set realistic expectations for herself. Her primary focus is on completing all the laps, gaining valuable experience, and learning as much as possible. She has also expressed interest in participating in more Cup races in the future as she familiarizes herself with the car and competition.

For now, her goal is to have a smooth and steady debut. Ideally, she wanted to enter the race with minimal attention.

"[I was hoping to] fly under the radar for my first Cup race. Nobody's going to notice, I'm just being in the back, we'll chill, we'll get NASCAR permission [to do more]," Katherine Legge said (via FOX Sports).

However, when someone reminded her that the debut would be the very next day after International Women's Day, she said,