Danica Patrick’s Controversial Take on Women in Motorsport Overshadows Katherine Legge’s Historic NASCAR Cup Series Debut

As Katherine Legge gears up to make history at Phoenix Raceway on March 9, 2025, becoming the first woman since Danica Patrick to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series race, the spotlight has unexpectedly shifted. The 44-year-old British racer’s debut with Live Fast Motorsports in the Shriners Children’s 500 was poised to be a milestone for women in motorsport. Yet, it’s Patrick’s resurfaced comments—casting doubt on female drivers’ ability to compete at the highest levels—that have sparked a firestorm, drawing criticism and reigniting debates about gender in racing. Amid Legge’s preparation to etch her name in NASCAR history, Patrick’s polarizing words have added a layer of complexity to an already momentous occasion.

Legge’s journey to the Cup Series is nothing short of inspiring. Set to pilot the No. 78 DROPLiGHT Chevrolet Camaro, she brings two decades of global racing experience to the table. Born in Guildford, England, Legge has competed across disciplines, from IndyCar to sports cars, earning accolades like the fastest female qualifying record at the Indianapolis 500 in 2023, clocking a blistering 231.627 mph single lap. Her résumé boasts four Indy 500 starts, four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship wins, and a second-place finish at the 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona. In NASCAR, she’s no stranger to the grind, with five Xfinity Series starts—her best being 14th at Road America in 2023—and a recent ARCA Menards Series outing at Daytona, though it ended early due to a crash. Her Cup Series debut marks her as the first woman born outside the U.S. to compete in NASCAR’s top tier, and only the third—alongside Patrick and Janet Guthrie—to race in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s premier division.

Live Fast Motorsports, co-owned by B.J. and Jessica McLeod, tapped Legge after failing to qualify for the Daytona 500, expanding their partial 2025 schedule. “The opportunity to have such a versatile and dynamic championship-winning driver join our program is exciting for everyone on our team,” Jessica McLeod said, emphasizing their commitment to opening doors for new talent in the NextGen era. With only 37 cars on the entry list, Legge is guaranteed a spot, but her focus isn’t on podiums just yet. “I don’t think anybody expects me to go out and set the world on fire,” she told Road & Track. “I just don’t want to make mistakes and look silly or incapable.” Her realism underscores the steep learning curve she faces in NASCAR’s ultra-competitive arena, akin to asking an IndyCar veteran like Jimmie Johnson to dominate stock cars overnight.

While Legge keeps her eyes on the track, Danica Patrick’s comments have cast a long shadow. The former NASCAR star, who made 191 Cup starts and remains the only woman to win a pole position in the series (2013 Daytona 500), spoke recently as a Sky Sports F1 commentator. Her remarks were blunt: “It takes 100 guys to come through to find a good one, and then it takes 100 girls—that takes a long time to find a good one… The nature of the sport is masculine, it’s aggressive… The mindset it takes to be really good is something that’s not normal in a feminine mind.” When pressed on whether more women in Formula 1 mattered to her, Patrick replied, “You’re assuming that is important to me, and it’s not.” The statements drew sharp rebuke from motorsport figures like David Kato, who criticized their impact on aspiring female racers, especially given Patrick’s status as a trailblazer.

Patrick’s polarizing persona—amplified by her vocal support for Donald Trump and her punditry role—has only fueled the backlash. Yet, in the same breath, she expressed a longing to return to NASCAR, calling her Xfinity Series days “the time of my life” and joking she’d “give my right leg” to race again, particularly on road courses. The irony isn’t lost: a woman who broke barriers now questions the very path she paved, just as Legge steps into the spotlight.

For Legge, the noise off the track is secondary. She’s leaned on veterans like A.J. Allmendinger and Bubba Wallace for advice, with Wallace offering unsolicited tips at Daytona. Her goal is simple: prove her competence and earn respect. As she prepares to join a select group—potentially the 17th or 21st woman to race in the Cup Series, depending on historical counts—she carries the weight of history. Pioneers like Guthrie, who raced in 33 Cup events and earned the 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame Landmark Award, and Patrick herself have shown what’s possible. Legge’s debut isn’t about rewriting records on day one; it’s about proving she belongs. But with Patrick’s words lingering, the broader fight for women in motorsport feels far from over. Will Legge’s run at Phoenix shift the narrative? The green flag awaits.