Katherine Legge aims to join an exclusive group of drivers by attempting 'The Double,' racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. This challenging feat involves completing 1,100 miles across two different race tracks in one day.
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Attempting to complete 1,100 miles in a single day of racing is quite the challenge (unless you're an endurance racing driver), but it's even more daunting when you're doing it in two wildly different race cars and at two race tracks that are multiple states and over 500 miles apart.
That is what it means when a driver says they are attempting 'The Double.' Their day will begin at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Indianapolis 500 around 12:45pm EST, and end around 11pm EST at Charlotte Motor Speedway when NASCAR's longest race -- the Coca-Cola 600 -- reaches its conclusion.
Only FIVE have ever managed to run both races on the same and only one -- three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart -- actually completed all 1,100 miles.
Katherine Legge, HMD Motorsports with A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet
Legge'sĀ attempt came together very late, and she has never actually competed in NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 before. In recent attempts, it was normally experienced NASCAR drivers venturing to Indy for the first time, but this time, it's a veteran open-wheeler going the other direction. She will drive the No. 11 HMD Motorsports/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet at the Indy 500, and the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet at Charlotte.
Legge is the first woman to ever attempt this, as well as being the first non-American driver to do so. At the age of 45, British racing driver is also the oldest to attempt the Double, beating the previous record by a full decade.
Now, completing every lap will be quite the challenge for her, especially with the NASCAR equipment. However, she did complete every lap with the same car in last year's Brickyard 400, finishing 17th. Along with making her debut in the 600, next Sunday will markĀ Legge's fifth appearance in the Indy 500. The big question mark surrounds just how many entries will be heading to Charlotte for the 600, and if she will have to fight her way into the show via qualifying.
'The Double' refers to the attempt to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, totaling 1,100 miles.
Only five drivers have ever managed to run both races, with Tony Stewart being the only one to complete all 1,100 miles.
The Indianapolis 500 starts around 12:45pm EST, while the Coca-Cola 600 concludes around 11pm EST on the same day.
Legge faces the challenge of racing in two different cars at two tracks that are over 500 miles apart, requiring endurance and skill.
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This wouldn't be such a remarkable achievement if there wasn't also several failed attempts. Kyle Larson missed the start of the Coke 600 in 2024, and by the time he arrived, the same rain storm that had delayed the start of he Indy 500 had ended the NASCAR race. Justin Allgaier drove his car at Charlotte.
In 2004, Robby Gordon started the Indy 500, but had to leave after 29 laps when weather halted the race. Jaques Lazier continued in Gordon's car at Indy while he went on to run the 600. Weather also impacted Gordon's 2000 attempt, and while he finished the Indy 500, he didn't make it to Charlotte in time. He still finished the race, but P.J. Jones had started it, and so, Gordon was not credited with participating (officially). Gordon's 1997 attempt was also derailed by weather, with the Indy 500 postponed to Monday and ultimately completed on Tuesday.
In 1995, Davy Jones took part the Indy 500, but he actually failed to qualify for the Coke 600, driving the No. 77 Jasper Motorsports entry.
John Andretti (Photo from early 2000s, not during 1994 'Double' attempt)
Before Andretti, several NASCAR drivers ventured to Indianapolis and simply chose to skip the Charlotte race. Some other 'Double' hopefuls failed to qualify or Mother Nature ruined their plans, too. So, it wasn't until 1994 when a driver finally managed to run both races on the same day, giving John the honor of being the very first.
He was a full-time NASCAR driver at the time, but he did have open-wheel experience and finished a solid tenth in the Indy 500. He made it to Charlotte just in time for the start, but was forced to begin the race from the rear of the field. He crashed early in the 600, but soldiered on until the car finally gave up after 220 of 400 laps.
Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robby made five runs at the Indy-Charlotte Double, which is far more than any other driver. As we said, his first attempt came in 1997, but inclement weather pushed the Indy 500 to Monday and Tuesday. He tried again in 2000, but missed the start of the 600 due to weather.Ā Gordon did take over from PJ Jones in the middle of the race, so credit to Gordon for not giving up.
His first successful attempt came in 2002, finishing eighth in the Indy 500 and 16th in the Coke 600. He finished one lap down at Charlotte, coming just 1.5 miles shy of completing the full 1,100 miles of racing. He successfully ran the Double again in 2003, even though rain ended the 600 early. His final attempt came in 2004, but weather interfered once again. He had to leave mid-race in order to make the start of the 600. Jaques Lazier finished the 500 for Gordon, but since he started the race, he was credited with the result.
Tony Stewart
The most successful 'Double' attempt belongs to Stewart. He ran both events in 1999 and 2001. In his first attempt, Stewart finished ninth in the Indy 500 and fourth in the Coke 600. He was four laps down in the 500, which prevented him from completing all 1,100 miles.
2001 was the final time 'Smoke' ran the Indy 500, again aiming to finally complete all 1,100 miles between Indianapolis and Charlotte. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing at Indianapolis, he finished sixth and then went on to finish third with Joe Gibbs Racing at Charlotte. It remains the best showing by any driver who has run these iconic races on the same day. In doing so, Stewart is the only driver to complete all 600 laps and 1,100 miles of competition.
Kurt Busch arrives in Charlotte
After a crash during Indy 500 practice, the former Cup Series champion rebounded in a big way on race day. He finished a very impressive sixth in the Indy 500, earning Rookie of the Year honors.
Unfortunately, the 600 did not go as well as a massive engine failure forced him out of the race after 271 of 400 laps. He was running in the mid-teens and just one lap down, so he had a real shot at completing all 1,100 miles before mechanical gremlins.
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
As we said, Larson tried to join this group in 2024, but Mother Nature had other plans. Rain delayed the start of the Indy 500 and that same storm ended up following Larson to North Carolina, ending the Coke 600 before he could take over from JustinĀ Allgaier mid-race.
Larson started 19th in the 2025 edition of the race as he made his second attempt. On a Lap 91 at Indy, he downshifted entering Turn 2 and the car snapped around. Later in the day, things were going better at Charlotte as he led 34 of the first 43 laps, before ultimately spinning from the race lead. He continued on, only to have his race ended in a Lap 247 crash on the frontstretch after a spinning Daniel Suarez hit him.
In recent years, several other drivers have expressed interest in attempting the Double,Ā including Kurt's brother Kyle, who came close to securing rides in both the 2017 and 2024 Indy 500s. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson ran the 2022 Indy 500 but he did not attempt the 2022 Coke 600. Many thought Danica Patrick would one day go for it with her years in both NASCAR and IndyCar, but that never came to fruition either. AJ Allmendinger is another driver with plenty of experience in both series, but he hasn't attempted the Double either.
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