Katherine Legge’s remarkably impressive performance at the Brickyard 400 on Sunday is surely a topic of discussion. Starting from the 38th position, she rose up to finish 17th, and her performance has captured the hearts of countless NASCAR fans. The fact that she’s often been compared to Danica Patrick as a trailblazer for women in the sport, her performance has definitely supported that narrative.
Legge holds the record for the fastest qualifying effort for a woman in Indianapolis 500 history. Her entry into NASCAR was largely by chance, with her sponsors pivoting to support her in this new endeavor. Legge’s appearance marked her as the first woman to drive in a Cup race since Danica Patrick in the 2018 Daytona 500. And now, her performance has only continued to elevate, catching the attention of the JGR driver Denny Hamlin, who was recently left impressed with her stint at the Brickyard.
Denny Hamlin changes his opinion on Katherine Legge
Katherine Legge faced an uphill battle at the Brickyard 400, starting from a challenging 38th position. However, her starting position only fueled her determination to prove her capabilities. Legge knew that the race would be tricky while piloting the #78 Chevrolet. During the qualifying round, she achieved a lap time that resulted in her starting position of 38th place. She faced an initial obstacle but maintained steady progress. The consistent nature of her racing strategy led Legge to achieve better lap times throughout the event.
Through her tactical approach and racing expertise, she successfully moved through the competition to finish in P17 in the race. Highlighting the same, Denny Hamlin, in his Actions Detrimental podcast, said, “Very noteworthy. Um, I mean, I just feel as though, wow, she is getting a lot out of that car. Now, in practice, I would have said, Whoa, holy cow, danger, danger! You know, 78 car.” Hamlin highlighted that though she may have been a potential risk at the practice, but her race performance shed all those misconceptions.
No doubt Legge’s performance impressed Hamlin, as he also praised her for her stable control over her car and her ability to handle the whole race professionally. He even acknowledged and appreciated the fact that she performed the way she did with an underperformed car: “I mean, staying on the… It’s not like she’s getting five lucky dogs and getting back on the lead lap and squeaking a finish out. She’s staying on the lead lap at these racetracks and battling some of our better drivers for a top-ten finishing position. That’s with a car that is clearly not up to snuff compared to what she’s racing up against.”
Katherine Legge garnered praise not only from Hamlin but also from Kevin Harvick, as he, too, had all the good things to say about her. He said, “She did great. I’ve been super impressed with the progression of her and her performance.” With all the praise and positive feedback, Katherine Legge continues her progress in NASCAR and improves her stock in the sport.
Katherine Legge garnered praise from the likes of Denny Hamlin and others after an impressive finish in the Brickyard 400 at Indy, continuing her progress in NASCAR and improving her stock in the sport. https://t.co/jNaCHoWMtw
— The Racing Experts (@TheRacnExperts) July 31, 2025
What makes fans believe that Hamlin might have changed his opinion on Legge is the fact that his current statement somewhat contradicts his statement that he made during the Phoenix Raceway. He had initially felt like, despite lacking experience, NASCAR had allowed the British driver to participate in it. Katherine crashed off during lap 215 while Denny Hamlin executed one of his best finishes by coming in the second position. Back then, he had said,
“I hate it for her. It’s probably not fair to her that she is getting the brunt of all the scrutiny. But it does open eyes. It should open eyes because NASCAR is like, ‘We are not very strict in who gets to run a Cup car. It should be the most elite series, and someone shouldn’t be able to just come in whenever you want, you know.”
Denny Hamlin has given Legge credit for her improvement each time she gets behind the wheel in the Cup Series. And there is no doubt that this female racer will only get better with time.
How Katherine Legge is different from Danica Patrick
The comparisons between Katherine Legge and Danica Patrick are inevitable. It remains because of the limited number of women competing in NASCAR. But Legge believes that her career trajectory and approach set her apart as an individual. She has constantly judged herself against Patrick, as both Legge and Patrick have even driven for the same team. She mentioned, “I actually race for the same team as Danica, so we’ve sort of judged myself against her all season.”
Legge brings a formidable open-wheel background to stock car racing, including a trailblazing win in a major open-wheel North American event in 2005 and experience in Formula Atlantic. This diverse skill set distinguishes her from many traditional stock car entrants. Although she races part-time in NASCAR as a seasonal driver, her extensive and impressive racing resume means she can’t be accurately labeled a rookie.
Over the years, Legge has consistently showcased her talent, and despite the frequent comparisons, Legge emphasizes her individuality as a driver, viewing herself simply as a competitor alongside others. She has stated that there’s nothing inherently “special” about being a woman in racing, preferring to be judged solely on her performance on the track, just like any other driver.
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