Katherine Legge reacts to NASCAR Cup Series debut at Phoenix Raceway

Today, Katherine Legge was the first woman to race in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2018 and her time in Phoenix unfortunately ended early. Legge had ups and downs this weekend but was able to learn quickly prior to her spin and wreck in the last stage.

Katherine Legge found speed in her Live Fast No. 78 Chevy. It was just too late. That’s how things go for these open teams who run part-time. One bad adjustment and your entire day is sunk.

After leaving the infield care center, Legge talked about her debut. It wasn’t what she hoped for, but there were positives as well.

“It was a really rough start,” Legge said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “We made some changes to the car overnight, and they were awful. I was hanging on like the first stint, I was so loose and I was just hanging on to it. Then we kept making adjustments and we kept making the car way more stable for me. Then at the end there I think we were relatively quick compared to the field. So, it wasn’t bad. I wish we hadn’t made the changes, but you know, we’re trying to find some pace and we’ve found it throughout the race but it was a rough start.”

When you race in the Cup Series everything comes at you so fast. Legge had an apt phrase to describe the experience.

“Baptism of fire. You know, I think there’s a lot of positives to take from it. Obviously, there was mistakes made but I learned so much and hopefully, I get to come back and do it again.”

Katherine Legge spins at Phoenix, collects Daniel Suárez

Katherine Legge made her Cup Series debut at a highly technical track. She spun out a couple of times today and that second one was at the wrong place and wrong time.

In a race full of wrecks today, this wasn’t the biggest. However, given how the tire strategy played out, it could have been the most consequential.

That Live Fast car was having one of its best days on a non-drafting track in a while. With the wrecks in the race, the battle of attrition was helping Katherine Legge progress through the field.

Legge was as high as P28 in this race. Her Cup Series debut will come to an end early, unfortunately. She plans to race more this season in NASCAR. Let’s see her give a road course a try and see if she is able to improve her running position.

Legge would be more comfortable on a road course, coming from a sports car background. You have to give her credit for debuting at Phoenix. That is a tough track to run for the first time in your first Cup start.