VETERAN BRITISH DRIVER KATHERINE LEGGE – MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTO
Katherine Legge will make her first NASCAR Cup Series start of the 2026
season over Mother’s Day weekend, piloting the No. 78 e.l.f. Cosmetics
Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports in the Go Bowling at The Glen event.
The start marks Legge’s return to Watkins Glen International—one of
the most technical and revered road courses in North America—where she
brings extensive experience across multiple disciplines, including 10
previous starts and a race win.
Legge enters the weekend following a milestone 2025 campaign in NASCAR,
where she became the first woman to qualify for a Cup Series race since
Danica Patrick’s 2012 debut, and the first woman in seven years to
start a Cup race.
Across 14 starts spanning ARCA, the Xfinity Series (now O’Reilly), and
Cup competition, she recorded two top-20 finishes at the Cup level and
was the highest-finishing rookie in her debut race.
Her return to the historic upstate New York circuit carries added
significance. In 2017, Legge claimed victory in the Six Hours of The
Glen, winning from pole position in the GTD class of the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The Mother’s Day start comes amid a busy stretch for Legge. Just last
week, she successfully completed her veteran refresher test as she
prepares for her fifth start in the Indianapolis 500, driving the No. 11
e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevrolet.
She will be the only woman in the field when official practice begins
May 12.
The 100-lap, 245-mile race at Watkins Glen International will air live
on FOX Sports 1 at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, May 10, with practice scheduled
for Saturday, May 9 from 1:00–2:00 PM ET and qualifying from
2:10–3:00 PM ET.
Quote Board
Katherine Legge, Driver of the No. 78 e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevrolet
“We’ve been looking closely at where to start my NASCAR Cup schedule
this year, and Watkins Glen made a lot of sense from both a timing and
performance standpoint. This track has always been a favorite of
mine—it’s fast, technical, and unforgiving. To be back here in the
Cup car, especially with e.l.f. on board again this year, makes it
really special. It’s a great way to bring together my road course
roots with my newfound love for stock car racing.”
BJ McLeod, Owner, Live Fast Motorsports
“We enjoyed a lot of success together in 2025, and we are looking
forward to building on that. Katherine brings a lot of experience,
especially on road courses. She works well with our team and gives
strong feedback, so we’re excited to get back on track together and keep
moving this program forward.”
About Katherine Legge
Katherine Legge is a trailblazing British racing driver and one of the
leading women in international motorsports. She is the fastest woman to
ever qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and has earned historic firsts
across open-wheel, sports car, and stock car racing.
Legge became the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North
America in 2005, the first woman to lead laps in Champ Car, and one of
the few women to compete across NASCAR, INDYCAR, IMSA, and global
endurance events, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb.
A vocal advocate for representation in motorsport, Legge has appeared on
TODAY, CBS Mornings, The Drew Barrymore Show, Ellen, The Tamron Hall
Show, 60 Minutes, Modern Marvels, and Jay Leno’s Garage.
She is represented by BRANDed Management and Klint Briney. For more
information, visit www.katherinelegge.com.