Katherine Legge, a motorsports trailblazer from England, is set to undertake a monumental challenge. Legge will compete in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR Cup’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. This feat is known as “The Double”.
Legge will be the only woman among the 33 drivers in the Indy 500. The Indy 500 begins at 9:45 a.m. PT. Following that, she will fly to Charlotte to race in the Coca-Cola 600, which begins at 3:29 p.m. PT.
The Logistical Hurdles of ‘The Double’
The starts of the two races are separated by five hours and 44 minutes. The Indy 500 takes over three hours to complete. The commute between the two will take close to two hours.
Legge’s travel plans involve a helicopter from the Indy 500 to a private jet. The jet will then zip her 366 miles to Concord Airport near Charlotte in an hour. Another helicopter will then take her to the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield, and a golf cart will take her to her Chevrolet Camaro.
Legge said that maintaining focus through both races would be incredibly difficult. She equated it to driving from New York to Daytona Beach at an average of 200 miles an hour. “You cannot lose focus for a second of any of that. I don’t think anybody can comprehend that,” Legge said.
Legge Joins a Short List of Drivers
Katherine Legge is the first woman to attempt The Double. She is also only the sixth driver overall to attempt it.
The other drivers who have attempted The Double are John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch.
- Kyle Larson attempted The Double a year ago, finishing 18th in the Indy 500 and 37th in the Coca-Cola 600.
- Larson also tried in 2024 but didn’t get to his car in time in Charlotte because of a rain delay in Indianapolis.
A documentary called “Kyle Larson vs. The Double” premiered. It follows the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion through preparation, logistics and the reality of getting through the day.
On the same day as Legge’s attempt, Caitlin Clark will be the grand marshal for the Indy 500. Curt Cignetti will drive the honorary pace car.