Sports
'Disgusting' - Hearts boss McInnes slams controversial last-gasp Celtic penalty
Hearts boss McInnes calls Celtic's last-minute penalty 'disgusting'
Sky Sports1 min read
Sports
Legge could become the first woman to complete racing’s ‘Double’ at Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600
TL;DR
Katherine Legge aims to be the first woman to complete racing's 'Double' by participating in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600. She is set to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24, alongside the Indy 500.
Key points
- Katherine Legge aims to complete racing's 'Double'
- She will participate in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600
- Legge is the first woman to attempt this challenge
- The races are scheduled for May 24
- She is also the first non-American to try it
Katherine LeggeIndianapolis 500Coca-Cola 600
NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Katherine Legge hopes to become the first woman to attempt “The Double” in racing — even if she’s reluctant to claim the title.
She’s not terribly interested in being the first non-American to try it, either.
Just hours after her NASCAR team, BRANDed Management, announced that the 45-year-old British driver had added the Coca-Cola 600 to a May 24 schedule that already included the Indianapolis 500, Legge told reporters she welcomed the opportunity more than the milestone.
“I don’t want to be like the first woman because at the end of the day, I always say I just want to be a race car driver,” she said. “It doesn’t matter whether I’m Black, white, female, male, whatever it may be. I think I’m probably getting the opportunity to do this because I’m female, so that does not escape me and I’m very grateful for it. I think being the first to do anything is cool. Being one of the very few who gets to attempt to race at Indy and at Charlotte and then do both on the same day, like looking back in 10, 20 years, like yeah.”
Legge’s feat also comes on the 50th anniversary of Janet Guthrie making her first appearance on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s historic 2.5-mile oval.
Guthrie did not make Indy’s starting grid in 1976 but still traveled to North Carolina and made her NASCAR Cup Series debut by starting the World 600 in Charlotte. That was the previous version of today’s Coca-Cola 600.
Now, like then, A.J. Foyt is playing a role in this gender-breaking attempt.
In 1976, Foyt let Guthrie use a backup car in her attempt to make the field. This weekend, Legge will be one of 33 drivers trying to qualify for the 500, and she’ll driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports with A.J. Foyt Racing. In 1977, Guthrie returned to Indy, becoming the first woman to start the 500 on the same day that Foyt became the first four-time race winner.
Foyt also cast aside his longtime rivalry with the Andrettis in 1994 when he put the late John Andretti in an IndyCar as Andretti became the first driver to attempt “The Double.”
Q&A
What is racing's 'Double' that Katherine Legge is attempting?
Racing's 'Double' refers to competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
When is Katherine Legge scheduled to race in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600?
Katherine Legge is scheduled to race in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24.
Who was the first woman to attempt the Indianapolis 500?
The first woman to attempt the Indianapolis 500 was Janet Guthrie in 1977.
What significance does Katherine Legge's attempt at 'The Double' hold?
Katherine Legge's attempt at 'The Double' is significant as it could make her the first woman to achieve this feat in racing history.
