Katherine Legge acknowledged the helpful guidance she received from Conor Daly during her latest qualifying attempt at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Xfinity Series. Her improved qualifying result was directly linked to advice provided by Daly, an established NTT IndyCar Series driver.
On Saturday, Legge delivered one of her strongest qualifying performances in the Xfinity Series, securing 24th place. The 45-year-old driver from Surrey, England, posted a lap time of 55.03 seconds, putting her 1.01 seconds behind pole winner Sam Mayer, with a top speed of 163.56 mph.
She qualified behind teammate Jeb Burton and ahead of Matt DiBenedetto. Reflecting on her qualifying experience during the Throttle Therapy podcast by iHeart, Legge shared her thoughts:
“I was actually texting with Conor Daly and he said it’s flat out, and after practice there was no way. I was like, ‘is he having me on, like is this for real?’ Like there’s no way it’s flat. He said, ‘yeah, honestly, like it’s faster than you think it is’. And I am so grateful that he told me that, and I’m so grateful for him giving me that info because in practice on older tires, when I was kind of getting up to speed, you’re nowhere near flat.” —Katherine Legge, Driver
“So I went out, ‘okay, Conor, I got this’, and my foot quivered in turn three. And we do an alternate start finish line between ten three and four, so we go out of the pits straight onto the track and we literally start our lap after ten three, so we do I don’t know, like two thirds of the track. And so I got on it…we were a second off the pace, but we’re still P24 behind my teammate Jeb Burton, and so I felt like that was probably the best qualifying we’ve had in Cup or Xfinity to date this year” she further added.” —Katherine Legge, Driver
The Details of Legge’s Race Performance in the Xfinity Series
Although she started 24th on the grid, Legge fell back to 28th place by the conclusion of Stage 1. She was unable to advance her position during Stage 2 and finished 29th at that point. Unfortunately, her race ended prematurely during the final stage, as she retired with a DNF on lap 74 out of 100.
Katherine Legge’s Cup Series Run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
In addition to her Xfinity Series participation, Legge also competed in the Cup Series race at the same venue, representing Live Fast Motorsports. Piloting the No. 78 car, she qualified 38th, finishing ahead of Denny Hamlin—who crashed during qualifying—and just behind Josh Bilicki. Her best lap time was 56.96 seconds, which was 7.83 seconds slower than pole sitter Chase Briscoe, achieving a top speed of 158.00 mph.
During the race, Legge posted one of her more notable finishes in the Cup Series, crossing the line in 17th place. She improved her standing through the stages, advancing to 30th in Stage 1 and climbing to 23rd in Stage 2, before finishing even stronger in the final segment of the race.
Significance of Legge’s Performance and Future Prospects
Katherine Legge’s qualifying progress in the Xfinity Series, assisted by Conor Daly’s advice, marks a career highlight in her current racing season. Her ability to translate expert insights into tangible improvements on the track demonstrates the value of experience and teamwork in motorsports. Meanwhile, her steady climb in the Cup Series race at Indianapolis shows her growing competitiveness in one of racing’s toughest arenas.
Going forward, these performances could pave the way for more consistent results across both series, as Legge continues to adapt and refine her racing strategies. Her collaboration with seasoned drivers like Conor Daly may prove key in achieving better qualifying and race finishes in upcoming events.