Katherine Legge faced difficulties in her NASCAR Cup Series debut at Phoenix, admitting she feels “embarrassed” about her mistake that took out a strong competitor.
Legge, the first woman to race in the Cup Series since 2018, spun out twice and failed to finish. One of her spins caused Daniel Suárez, who was running sixth, to crash.
Rather than blaming Legge, Suárez criticized NASCAR for approving her participation despite her lack of experience. Analyst Kevin Harvick agreed, saying she was put in a tough situation.
Legge reflected on the incident, acknowledging her embarrassment and the pressure of proving she belonged. She knew immediately that her mistake would define her debut.
She noted that public opinion is heightened when someone is under the spotlight, with people being quick to either support or criticize.
Legge spoke with Suárez, who reassured her and placed the blame on NASCAR’s approval process rather than on her.
After seeing the intense discussion about her race, Legge now questions the idea that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”
