Can she pull off “The Double?” British driver Katherine Legge will attempt to leg it between the 2026 Indianapolis 500 in the afternoon and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the evening.
The 45-year-old from England would be the first woman to pull off the feat of determined driving, one that has been done by just five others before her. She isn’t expected to contend for the checkered flag in either race, but just making it in time for the green flag in Charlotte would be accomplishment enough. That’s doubly true considering rain is in the forecast at both race tracks.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal is following the action at Indy and Charlotte. Keep scrolling for the latest updates.
Watch Indianapolis 500 live on Fubo (free trial)
Indy 500 start time, TV schedule, channel
Coca-Cola 600 start time, TV schedule, channel
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Live updates: Weather is biggest threat to Katherine Legge’s double-race chances
At this point, the biggest threat to Katherine Legge pulling off this double-dip at the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 is rain. It is truly touch-and-go in Indianapolis, where they will not run the Greatest Spectacle in Racing with any rain falling. Forecasts are calling for rain late this morning and early afternoon, stopping for a while and then continuing in the evening.
Who is Katherine Legge?
Katherine Legge (pronounced “leg”) is is a 45-year-old veteran racer from Surrey, England. After moving to the U.S. to pursue her racing career, she settled outside Atlanta. She came up racing various open-wheel feeder series in Britain, including Formula Three, Formula Renault and Formula Ford. In North America, Legge has primarily raced Indy-style cars (47 career starts, including four Indy 500s) and sports-cars (101 starts, including 12 Rolex 24s) before trying her hand at NASCAR stock cars last year.
In 2017-18, driving for Michael Shank in the IMSA WeatherTech Series, Legge was a co-driver for four GTD class wins, each in an Acura GT3. She also won three times in the 2005 open-wheel Atlantic Championship series, driving for Polestar Racing Group. – Ken Willis
How far is Indy 500 from Charlotte?
A flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte takes about 1 hour, 40 minutes. The drive from Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Indianapolis International Airport is about 11 miles, which takes about 17 minutes with normal traffic, according to Google Maps. The trip from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina is a bit longer, about 22 miles, or 35 minutes with normal traffic.
Katherine Legge record at Indy 500
Indy 500 starting grid
In the No. 11 Chevrolet, Katherine Legge will start from Row 9 in the 26th position. See the full Indy 500 lineup.
Indianapolis 500 weather forecast: Will it rain at Indy 500?
AccuWeather predicts 72 degrees with thunderstorms in the forecast when the green flag is scheduled to drop at the Indy 500. There is at least a 50% chance of rain through 4 p.m.
Indy 500-NASCAR double drivers
Five drivers have attempted “The Double,” driving in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Here’s how each finished:
Katherine Legge NASCAR record
Legge made the first of eight Cup Series starts early last year. Five of her eight races have been on road courses, though her best finish (17th) came in last year’s Brickyard 400 on the Indy oval. In 11 O’Reilly Series starts, her best finish was a 14th on the Elkhart Lake road course in 2018. – Ken Willis
Coca-Cola 600 starting grid
In the No. 78 Chevrolet, Katherine Legge will start near the back of the pack in the 38th position after rain washed out qualifying in Charlotte. See the full Coke 600 lineup.
Coca-Cola 600 weather forecast: Will it rain at NASCAR race?
AccuWeather predicts 76 degrees with cloudy skies when the green flag is scheduled to drop in Concord, North Carolina. Thunderstorms are in the forecast throughout the evening with a 55% chance of rain.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Can Katherine Legge pull off Indy 500-NASCAR double? Live race updates
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh and Kirkland Crawford, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
