Katherine Legge did not win at Indianapolis. She didn’t lead laps. She did not climb a podium. But she turned heads in a way few others did. Driving a car many considered uncompetitive, Legge powered her way from deep in the field to a top-20 finish in the 2025 Brickyard 400. And she did it while pulling double duty and making history. Fans noticed. Commentators noticed. And quietly, the moment may have said more than any trophy.
Key Highlights
Katherine Legge becomes second woman ever to compete in both Indy 500 and Brickyard 400.
Finishes 17th at IMS driving the underdog No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet.
Earns “free pass” during late caution, sets up run to finish on lead lap.
Pulls double duty with Xfinity and Cup starts during Brickyard weekend.
Fans and analysts praise her performance as among the best for a female driver at IMS in the Cup era.
Breaking New Ground at the Brickyard
For Katherine Legge, the weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway marked more than just another Cup Series start. It was history. When she took the green flag on Sunday, Legge became the 21st driver—and just the second woman after Danica Patrick—to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400. Few racers ever get the chance to do both. Fewer still do it with her composure.
But Legge’s approach was no stunt. It was full commitment. She ran in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race before climbing back into the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports on Sunday. The workload wasn’t light, especially given the car’s reputation and the size of the Cup field. Still, Legge welcomed the grind.
Her starting position—38th out of 40—made it clear that her day would be a challenge. IMS isn’t known for easy passing or underdog heroics. But from the drop of the green, Legge kept her line, avoided chaos, and stayed patient. She picked off cars where she could, capitalized on incidents ahead of her, and made smart adjustments with her crew to keep pace with the track.
Ride on-board with Katherine Legge as she passes Chase Briscoe, SVG, and Josh Berry for a P17 finish.@katherinelegge @teamlivefast #Brickyard400 #nascar pic.twitter.com/GDhIYniZXF
— lee (@illumalee) July 27, 2025
A Measured Drive Through Chaos
The race saw its share of restarts, strategy plays, and late-race drama, especially when weather threatened the closing laps. For Legge, the key moment came during a caution near the end of regulation, when she received the free pass—also known as the “Lucky Dog”—to get back on the lead lap. That set the stage for an overtime sprint, and Legge responded with her best laps of the day.
Finishing 17th may not sound headline-worthy. But in NASCAR, context matters. She drove for Live Fast Motorsports, a team not expected to contend for top-25 finishes most weekends. And in a car that visibly lacked speed down the straights, Legge found speed in the corners. She beat big names. She outlasted crashes. And she made passes that left fans rewinding onboards.
“She rolled the top on the 88 to get that position in a car that looks like it’s down 15–20hp. That’s a confidence booster right there.” – Fan reaction on social media
Her Brickyard result followed a similarly strong showing on the streets of Chicago earlier in the season, where she also recorded a top-20 finish. In five Cup starts this year, she’s now put together two standout runs—both on technical circuits that reward patience, experience, and precision. For a part-time driver without the full support structure of a championship-caliber team, those results are difficult to overstate.
Winning Fans, Changing Conversations
While the box score listed her as 17th, the reaction from fans suggested something bigger was happening. Throughout the race, fans began noticing her runs. As the final laps played out, the tone on social media shifted from curiosity to outright respect.
“Checked her on-board a few different times today and she was pretty racey, which was great to see. I know some of it was attrition but 17th in that shitbox is a great finish.” – Fan reaction on social media
You could put Kyle Larson or Denny Hamlin in that car and it isn’t finishing much higher than 17th. Great run for her.” – Fan reaction on social media
Some even began to compare her against long-standing assumptions about women in NASCAR or question why she hadn’t received more top-tier opportunities earlier in her career.
“Anyone who watched her for years knew that was BS. She is the real deal and the only thing stopping her from being a NASCAR winner in at least Trucks or ARCA is her age.” – Fan reaction on social media
Others simply marveled at the moment—a British road racer, battling NASCAR regulars like Shane van Gisbergen and holding her own in a car that no one expected to finish inside the top 20.
“If you told anybody 5 years ago that SVG and Katherine Legge would be battling, they never would’ve guessed it was in NASCAR.” – Fan reaction on social media
The praise wasn’t limited to fans. Analysts and reporters also took note of what her run meant—not just in terms of finishing position, but for the team and the broader state of diversity and inclusion within the sport. While Danica Patrick remains the only woman to post a top-10 finish at IMS in a Cup car, Legge’s performance may now rank as the best non-superspeedway result for a woman in modern Cup history at the track.
Bigger Picture, Clearer Path Ahead
Legge’s showing at the Brickyard helped reframe what’s possible for women in the top levels of NASCAR. She wasn’t just part of the field—she was competitive. And with additional starts planned for 2025, her time at IMS could mark a pivot point in her second act as a stock car racer.
Watkins Glen, Las Vegas, and the Charlotte Roval are next on her Cup and Xfinity schedules. All three are tracks that play to Legge’s strengths—especially road racing and precision handling. The goal isn’t just to replicate Indy. It’s to build from it.
Legge has spent years in sports cars, IndyCar, and part-time NASCAR roles, often juggling inconsistent equipment and limited track time. But what she showed at Indianapolis—again—was that when given just enough tools and just enough time, she can do something meaningful. And in the long run, that might matter more than any single finish.
“In that lawnmower 78 car, hell of a run.” – Fan reaction on social media
News in Brief: Katherine Legge Wins Over NASCAR Fans
Katherine Legge finished 17th in the 2025 Brickyard 400, delivering a standout performance for Live Fast Motorsports from 38th on the grid. She became the second woman ever to compete in both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 and earned strong fan praise for her drive. Legge received the free pass during a late caution and raced her way to a top-20 in NASCAR overtime. The result stands among her best in the Cup Series.
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