Katherine Legge was set to make motorsports history on Sunday but her day ended far earlier than anyone had hoped. She is the first woman ever to attempt The Double, competing in INDYCAR's Indianapolis 500 before heading to Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600, according to Fox Sports. It was a bold effort that put her name in the same conversation as some of racing's biggest names.
Who Is Katherine Legge?
The Double is one of the most grueling challenges in motorsports racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same Memorial Day weekend day, covering a combined 1,100 miles.
According to Fox Sports, five drivers have attempted it over the years but Tony Stewart remains the only driver to complete all 1,100 miles in a single day. Most recently, NASCAR star Kyle Larson tried twice in 2024 and 2025 but both attempts were unsuccessful.
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Now it was Legge's turn. The 45-year-old veteran driver from England was not just attempting The Double, she was doing it as the first woman in history to ever try. For the Indy 500, she drove the No 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports as part of an alliance with AJ Foyt Racing.
{{/usCountry}}Now it was Legge's turn. The 45-year-old veteran driver from England was not just attempting The Double, she was doing it as the first woman in history to ever try. For the Indy 500, she drove the No 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports as part of an alliance with AJ Foyt Racing.
{{/usCountry}}For the evening's Coca-Cola 600, she was set to race the No 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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How it ended
Legge qualified for the Indy 500 and started the race from 26th position, in the ninth row. Despite concerns that rain might delay things, the green flag flew on time. The average Indy 500 runs about three hours and for The Double to work, Legge needed to leave Indianapolis somewhere between 4 and 5pm ET to reach Charlotte before the Coca-Cola 600's scheduled 6pm ET start, as per Fox Sports.
But the race ended for Legge far sooner than expected. On just Lap 19, Ryan Hunter-Reay spun out in Turn 2. Legge tried to avoid him but the two cars still made contact, bringing out the first caution flag of the race. Both drivers were able to exit their cars without help from the safety team but Legge's Indy 500 run was over, according to Fox Sports, effectively ending her historic Double attempt before it could truly begin.