Katherine Legge brought a rare mix of humor and honesty to the August 13, 2025 episode of “Stacking Pennies,” speaking with Corey LaJoie and Skip Flores about her NASCAR journey. The versatile racer shared the struggles of moving from high-downforce sports cars to the heavier, more unpredictable world of stock car racing. From technical challenges to cultural differences within the sport, Legge revealed a side of her adaptation process that fans rarely get to hear in such unfiltered detail.
Key Highlights
- Legge says adapting from IMSA sports cars to NASCAR stock cars is “almost like a different sport.”
- She revealed challenges ranging from track familiarity to the “choose” rule during restarts.
- Legge stressed perseverance after crashes, poor results, and a steep learning curve.
- Her advice to young drivers centers on listening, instinct, and ignoring social media pressure.
- She praised NASCAR’s cultural openness and growth in embracing diverse perspectives.
Adjusting to NASCAR’s Unique Demands
Legge described the technical differences as a complete shift in driving philosophy, noting the heavier weight transfer and less forgiving handling of stock cars.
“First of all, the car is very different to everything I’ve driven before. Everything I’ve driven before has a lot of downforce and just is different. This moves around a lot—very heavy weight transfer. You don’t set the car up in a similar way. It’s almost like a different sport.” – Katherine Legge
The transition extended beyond the car itself. Legge highlighted the logistics and traditions unfamiliar to a newcomer, from track access to procedural quirks.
“There’s the actual driving aspect of it, but then there’s all the auxiliary stuff like even when you go to a track, I’ve never been to most of these tracks, like where is credentials, where do you drive out to pit lane? The choose, the first time I had to do the choose, I was like, ‘What now? What are we talking about here?’ And so it’s just a lot of new stuff.” – Katherine Legge
Perseverance Over Placement
Despite facing on-track setbacks and modest results, Legge placed emphasis on mindset and persistence.
“There’s been so many challenges.” – Katherine Legge
She acknowledged that the steep competition and learning process often mean enduring more failures than successes.
“You’re going to fail a lot more than you succeed—especially when you’re doing something new. The trick is to keep showing up and keep learning.” – Katherine Legge
Her approach reflects a long-game mentality, encouraging resilience even when immediate results are out of reach.
Lessons for the Next Generation
Legge’s advice for aspiring drivers was clear and concise—listen more than you speak, learn from the garage, and trust instincts.
“Listen as much as you talk. The car can teach you, and so can everyone in the garage.” – Katherine Legge
She also touched on the mental zone required for peak performance.
“The best laps I’ve ever driven, I don’t remember driving them. You have to get out of your own way and let your instincts take over. That’s the art of driving, no matter what car you’re in.” – Katherine Legge
Her perspective extended beyond the track, warning against distraction and the external noise of social media.
“Put your phone down and focus on what you can control. The results come when you stop micromanaging every detail and trust the process.” – Katherine Legge
Embracing NASCAR’s Cultural Shift
Legge acknowledged that NASCAR has evolved in openness and inclusivity, offering a platform for a wider range of voices and ideas.
“We’ve opened up as a sport—not just for drivers, but for everybody.” – Katherine Legge
Her comments reinforced a belief that collaboration and constructive dialogue can help shape the sport’s future while maintaining respect for its traditions.
News in Brief: Katherine Legge’s Stacking Pennies Appearance
Katherine Legge used her August 13, 2025 “Stacking Pennies” podcast appearance to share an unfiltered look at her NASCAR journey, from learning stock car handling to adapting to the sport’s traditions. She spoke candidly about mistakes, resilience, and the mental demands of racing. Offering advice to young drivers, she emphasized listening, trusting instincts, and ignoring outside pressure. Legge also praised NASCAR’s evolving culture.
ALSO READ: NASCAR Fans Heap Praise on Katherine Legge Before The Glen: “Work of Art”
