Long before Katherine Legge became the center of NASCAR’s latest controversy, she was a young driver with a bold vision for her career. She had already begun making a name for herself in Europe, but her sights were set on something bigger. In the early 2000s, legendary IndyCar driver Lyn St. James was organizing a shootout to discover the next female racing star. Legge, still in Britain at the time, saw an opportunity she couldn’t ignore.
Without hesitation, she wrote to St. James. The message was clear and direct: “Hi, my name is Katherine Legge. I’m the best girl race car driver you’ll ever see, ever. Can I come and be a part of your shootout, please?” St. James had never heard of her and initially declined. But Legge wasn’t one to back down. She asked if she could at least come and watch. She then bought a helmet, got on a plane, and showed up uninvited.
That fearless move paid off, setting her on a path that would eventually lead her to some of the biggest stages in motorsports, from IndyCar to NASCAR. Fast forward to 2025, and Legge now finds herself under an entirely different kind of spotlight. After making her long-awaited NASCAR Cup Series debut at Phoenix, she became the subject of intense scrutiny. The criticism was swift and brutal, with fans questioning whether she deserved a spot in the sport’s top level. However, one person isn’t backing down from his decision to put Legge in a Cup car, i.e., B.J. McLeod.
Katherine Legge’s boss backs her NASCAR move
The controversy began just four laps into Katherine Legge’s NASCAR Cup Series debut. Running at the back of the pack, she lost control in Turn 2 and spun, bringing out the first caution of the race. Though her car wasn’t damaged, it was an embarrassing moment, especially given the high expectations. Later, with 98 laps to go, disaster struck again. She lost control once more and collected Daniel Suarez.
Many fans saw the incident as proof that Legge didn’t belong in the Cup Series. Suarez himself questioned NASCAR for approving her run. “The problem is there’s nothing wrong with her. What is wrong is NASCAR. They cannot allow somebody with no experience to run in the Cup Series. Plain and simple,” he said. However, B.J. McLeod, who took a chance on Legge, is standing by his driver.
While speaking on Rollin’ with the Punches, he acknowledged the mistakes but also defended the circumstances that led to them. He revealed that a last-minute seat adjustment altered Legge’s vision in the car, affecting her ability to drive comfortably. “To me, that situation shouldn’t happen. Like, we gotta, we gotta do better. With all of that together, she made a mistake, right? I flat told her what happened with Barry—it can’t happen. She didn’t back away or disagree. She said, ‘Do you have his number?’ Right. And I was like, ‘More respect,’” he admitted.
Notably, Legge had previously revealed that she reached out to Daniel Suarez and explained her condition to him. She admitted her mistakes and wanted to make things right. Surprisingly, Suarez responded with kindness. “Daniel was very sweet, actually, very kind and understanding. He said, ‘Listen, I don’t blame you. Of course, what happened was less than ideal for me,’” Legge revealed. Suarez emphasized that it wasn’t about Legge’s talent but about NASCAR allowing inexperienced stock car drivers into the Cup Series without proper preparation.
However, Legge refused to let one race define her. When someone from another team suggested she might walk away from NASCAR after the tough debut, she responded with determination. “Hell no. You don’t know me very well. All this does is make me dig my heels in and go, you know what, I’m going to prove everybody wrong. I know that I’m a good race car driver, and this was just a blip in the matrix,” she said in a post-race interview.
Legge now aims to return to NASCAR and prove she belongs. McLeod remains committed to supporting her, believing that with more preparation, she can silence her critics. However, Legge isn’t alone in this fight. Some of NASCAR’s biggest voices, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., have stepped in to defend her and call for changes in the system.
Call mounts for another opportunity for Katherine Legge
While many critics have questioned Katherine Legge’s presence in the Cup Series, NASCAR legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr. believe the issue lies elsewhere. Dale Jr. argues that Legge’s struggles weren’t due to a lack of talent but rather a lack of preparation time. On his podcast, Dale Jr. Download, Junior emphasized that NASCAR’s decision to limit practice time hurts drivers like Legge.
“If they came tomorrow and said, ‘We are adding an hour of practice to every weekend,’ that wouldn’t change a thing financially. Teams would spend that money elsewhere,” he said. Dale Jr. further revealed that he believes additional practice would give newcomers a fairer chance to adapt to the Next Gen car. Apart from him, veteran NASCAR reporters Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck also support this stance. They argue that cutting costs shouldn’t come at the expense of proper preparation.
Daniel Suárez, despite being involved in the wreck, also agrees with this perspective. “I hope that she gets another opportunity. Having diversity in the sport is important. There’s nothing wrong with her; it’s just the process that needs to improve,” he said. Notably, Legge’s next chance to prove herself may come at a road course—her specialty. NASCAR has approved her to drive in Xfinity and Truck series and now she awaits a much-deserved opportunity.
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