NASCAR driver Katherine Legge has revealed that she has been the target of disturbing “hate mail” and “death threats” from auto racing fans following her involvement in a crash that collected veteran driver Kasey Kahne during the recent Xfinity Series race at Rockingham.
Legge, who has started four Indy 500s but is relatively new to stock car racing, addressed the issue during Tuesday’s episode of her “Throttle Therapy” podcast, stating, “Let me be very clear, I’m here to race and I’m here to compete, and I won’t tolerate any of these threats to my safety or to my dignity, whether that’s on track or off of it.”
The British driver, who became the first woman in seven years to start a Cup Series race earlier this year at Phoenix, emphasized that the inappropriate comments she has received on social media are disturbing and unacceptable.
The incident in question occurred during the Xfinity race at Rockingham, North Carolina. Legge, who had qualified for the race on speed but was bumped off the starting grid due to ownership points, secured a seat in the No. 53 car for Joey Gase Motorsports. While being lapped by the leaders, Legge entered Turn 1, where William Sawalich made contact with the back of her car, sending her spinning and leaving Kahne with nowhere to go, resulting in a collision along the bottom of the track.
Legge explained the situation, saying, “I gave [Sawalich] a lane and the reason the closing pace looks so high isn’t because I braked midcorner. I didn’t. I stayed on my line, stayed doing my speed, which obviously isn’t the speed of the leaders because they’re passing me. He charged in a bit too hard, which is the speed difference you see. He understeered up a lane and into me, which spun me around.”
With a wealth of experience in various series, including IndyCar, IMSA SportsCar, and previous Xfinity starts, the 44-year-old Legge defended her position, stating, “I have earned my seat on that race track. I’ve worked just as hard as any of the other drivers out there, and I’ve been racing professionally for the last 20 years. I’m 100 percent sure that … the teams that employed me — without me bringing any sponsorship money for the majority of those 20 years — did not do so as a DEI hire, or a gimmick, or anything else. It’s because I can drive a race car.”
Legge believes that the vitriol she has faced on social media is indicative of a larger issue concerning women in motorsports. However, she remains undeterred, stating, “Luckily, I have been in tougher battles than you guys in the comment sections.”
The racing community has rallied around Legge, with IndyCar driver Marco Andretti coming to her defense on social media. In response to a critic who called Legge “unproven,” Andretti wrote on X, “It’s wild to me how many grown men talk badly about badass girls like this. Does it make them feel more manly from the couch or something?”
