Katherine Legge just made history at the Grant Park 165, becoming the first woman since Danica Patrick in 2017 to finish inside the top 20 in a NASCAR Cup Series race.
Competing in only her third career NASCAR Cup start, the 44-year-old British driver finished 19th in a chaotic race on the streets of Chicago. The performance came after she narrowly edged Corey Heim in qualifying by just one-tenth of a second, locking in her spot on the grid.
“It was a lot of pressure to come in with only 20 minutes of practice on a street course where there is no room for error,” Legge said. “I actually feel pretty good about it now.”
Despite tagging the walls a few times in practice, Legge kept her cool and delivered a strong performance on race day.
Danica Comparisons and Milestone Moment
Legge’s top-20 finish marks a major moment in female representation in NASCAR, something not seen since Danica Patrick‘s final season in 2017. Patrick, who never won a Cup race, notched seven top-10 finishes in her 191-race career and became a household name for women in motorsports.
Though Legge and Patrick also share political views—both reportedly supportive of Donald Trump—this weekend was all about racing history.
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Chaos on the Track, but Legge Held Strong
The Chicago Street Race was anything but smooth, with Carson Hocevar triggering a major crash on Lap 3, taking out several drivers, including Brad Keselowski.
“Wrong spot, wrong time,” Keselowski said. “The No. 77 wrecked and blocked the track… then three cars blasted us from behind.”
Amid the chaos, Shane van Gisbergen continued his dominance on street circuits, winning his second Cup Series race of 2025 and fourth out of six since NASCAR brought the event to Chicago in 2023.
Legge’s breakthrough performance might open more doors for her in NASCAR’s top tier. As the Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway on July 13, all eyes will be on whether she gets another shot to build on this historic finish.
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