NASCAR driver Katherine Legge is pushing back against accusations that she was a "DEI hire" following a crash at the Xfinity Series race in North Carolina, calling the online abuse she's received sexist and unfounded.
Legge, a veteran racer with over 20 years of professional experience across IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR, recently made headlines for becoming the first woman in seven years to start a Cup Series race, according to the Associated Press.
Despite limited stock car experience, she earned her way into NASCAR events on speed alone. Legge's participation in last weekend's Rockingham race came after a last-minute swap with J.J. Yeley, following her initial bump from the starting grid due to ownership points.
During the race at Rockingham, Legge was running off the lead pace when contact from William Sawalich sent her spinning into the path of Kasey Kahne, causing a collision. Following the incident, Legge faced a wave of harassment, including death threats and accusations that she was only in the race due to diversity initiatives.
On her podcast "Throttle Therapy," she emphasized that her place in motorsports has always been earned through talent and perseverance—not tokenism.
"I have earned my seat on that race track," Legge said. "I've worked just as hard as any of the other drivers out there, and I've been racing professionally for the last 20 years. I'm 100 percent sure that the ... the teams that employed me — without me bringing any sponsorship money for the majority of those 20 years — did not do so as a DEI hire, or a gimmick, or anything else. It's because I can drive a race car."
Legge has received support from figures within the racing world, including Marco Andretti, who condemned the sexist backlash. Meanwhile, she has vowed to keep racing and using her platform to challenge harmful narratives and support other women in the sport.
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