Legge: "Pretty badass" to attempt Indy 500-Coke 600 double

Credit: Chris Jones

In addition to an Indy 500-only programme with HMD Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing, Katherine Legge has been confirmed for an attempt at the illusive 'double' as she embarks on the Coca-Cola 600 with Live Fast Motorsports, becoming the first female driver in history to attempt to complete the 1100 miles in one day.

Legge will become the sixth driver to attempt 'the double', following on from John Andretti, Davy Jones, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and most recently, Kyle Larson. Legge will also become the the first non-American to compete in both races, which this year will take place on May 24th.

The No.11 HMD Motorsports -AJ Foyt Racing entry ran by Legge was the last to be confirmed for this years' Indianapolis 500 and her NASCAR entry has been finalised less than two weeks before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It may been seen by many as a last-minute organisation but for Legge, this has been long in the works.

"It is very late but it's also been in the works for a couple of years so I think the pre-planning part has been in the minds of the folks at e.l.f. and my management and everything so it doesn't feel like we're unorganised, it feels a bit like a whirlwind - everybody's kind of just full steam ahead organising all the travel and the logistics that it takes which is the crazy part.

"For me I'm just going to be tired for one day right. I'm probably going to sleep like a baby on Sunday night."

'The double' had not been attempted for 10 years prior to Larson's attempts with Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren. Neither attempt saw Larson complete the 1100 miles as weather delays saw him miss the Coke 600 in 2024 before he crashed in both races the following year.

A NASCAR ruling brought in prior to 2025 meant that Larson had to prioritise the Coke 600 in order to maintain playoff eligibility in his full-time series. That will not be such an issue for Legge, who is running a part-time programme with Live Fast Motorsports, with the Briton confirming that the Indianapolis 500 will be her priority.

Credit: Chris Owens

The driving is the most significant challenge of 'the double', with Stewart the only driver to complete all 1100 miles, having done so in 2001 coming sixth in the Indianapolis 500 and third in the Coca-Cola 600. However, logistics is seen as one of the biggest challenges for drivers having to navigate constantly between Indianapolis and Charlotte, as well as the minute details Legge still has to figure out.

"Speaking to Kyle as well and finding out what challenges he had, you know, when to get an IV, what to eat. I'm more worried about being hungry than anything else. But I think the challenges will be what they will be as long as we're as organised as we can be then it's going to be things out of our control, like the plane breaking down or the weather or something like that."

Legge's campaign to completing all 500 miles at Indianapolis officially began on Tuesday. April's Open Test saw Legge's entry plagued with mechanical issues which reduced her track time significantly as her refresher programme could not be complete. With that, there is still plenty of work to do.

"When we were here for the refresher actually the car was really good and we were 12th in no tow speeds and we just hadn't played in traffic as my mum would say.

"But yesterday we had a few issues after being in Watkins Glen. Coming back, we need to make some changes but the team have a plan and so I'm not worried about it. They're a great team. We aren't as far down the test schedule as I would have liked because we haven't got the car to a place where we want to go do a bunch of traffic running but I think we probably will today, weather allowing we've got the rest of this week as well so I think I'm in good hands."

But maybe the biggest question is as to why Legge wanted to attempt such a challenging feat.

"I don't know why I wanted to do this, they [e.l.f.] came to me with the idea and I was like 'oh yeah that sounds cool, yeah' - having really thought it through but I'm kind of like I'm in my [******* era]."

"I get to do cool stuff, right? Like I've been racing for 20 years now. I get to do the Indy 500 again, which is epic for anybody who gets the opportunity to do it. To get to do it for the fifth time is a dream come true. And then to be able to be qualified for the NASCAR stuff as well, it's been a lot of fun learning that. Like I really love doing that.

So putting them both together and doing something that we can look back in 20 years and go, hey, that was pretty badass. Like, that's cool. I'm the sixth person to have ever done it. So why not?"