Katherine Legge’s Indy 500 wasn’t the redemption she wanted, but she may have changed racing forever

Practice for 2024 Indianapolis 500 hadn’t started yet when I first spoke to Katherine Legge on her fourth attempt at compete in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In 2023, Legge was the first to retire in the event. When I asked why she wanted to return to 2024, her answer was simple: Redemption.

“I didn’t want to go out like that,” Legge said, referring to a mistake during her first pit stop that caused her to eventually withdraw from the event. “I want people to remember my true abilities rather than the disaster of last year’s race.”

Although he admits he still feels like a “rookie” thanks to his early exit in 2023, Legge is still optimistic. Her No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing Honda will be associated with a partnership with elf Cosmetics – a partnership that will soon expand to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 108th running of the Indy 500. According to Legge, she “wanted to see what I could achieve” with such an “iconic brand.”

Unfortunately, on the track little was achieved. The engine on her race car failed on the 23rd lap. Legge was one of three Honda riders to retire from the race in a disappointing smoke. She was scored in 29th place.

However, Katherine Legge still has a lot to be proud of in 2024. She has found redemption; it’s just not on the track. It comes in the form of her sponsorship with Elf Cosmetics.

In 1977, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway might as well have been Annapurna Mountain to Janet Guthrie.

That’s right, she completed the first step of racing in Indianapolis last year: She entered. She completed new recruit orientation. She practiced. She forced the residents of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to accept a woman in their midst, knowing full well that it would end up in court. Five years ago finally allowed some Women have the opportunity to be allowed into the tunnel and parking garage areas. Seeing a woman driving was still a shock, and when Guthrie’s car succumbed to a series of mechanical cars before she had a chance to qualify, it seemed to prove the point to the doubters. Hers shows that women are truly real. should not competing in the Indy 500. When she arrived in 1977, she not only showed off her own driving skills; she represents all women everywhere.

It’s easy to see Guthrie’s achievements as personal achievements, but it’s also easy to attribute her success to all women. When Janet Guthrie qualified for the 1977 Indianapolis 500, she proved that she was capable of, well, pulling off the feat. She also proves that, with the right experience and the right support, any woman can overcome the challenges of the High Line. But what we tend to forget is that, during her hurdles year, Guthrie finished 29th after a broken timing gear ended her day on lap 27.

Why? Because the score results are much less important than the cultural impact. Janet Guthrie overcame the odds. She ignored complaints from fans asking her to show them their breasts. She battled a large amount of negative press that questioned her ability, as if she hadn’t raced in over a decade when she first tried her hand at Indy. She had heard competitors speak ill of her skills. And with a working car, she was able to silence her critics — at least for a while. Janet Guthrie proved that women can race Indy cars, too.

The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 was the fourth time Katherine Legge achieved the Greatest Spectacle of the Race. The now 43-year-old British driver had his first two tries in 2012 and 2013, with Dragon Racing and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports respectively. A decade-long hiatus followed, where Legge enjoyed success in sports cars – but open-wheel racing remained Legge’s first love.

“I am a very lucky young lady because I found something I was passionate about at a young age and that was go-kart racing,” Legge said. Jalopnik back in 2022. “I had parents who were supportive of it — especially my dad. “I’m daddy’s little girl. I’m an adrenaline junkie. We will travel all over Europe and go to many different racetracks. And that was fun but it also gave me focus, passion and purpose.”

Legge honed his skills in the world of karting for nearly a decade before working his way up the open-wheel ladder through Formula 3, Formula Renault and Formula Ford. She was the first woman to win the “Rising Star” award from the British Racing Drivers Club – an achievement she achieved by surpassing Kimi Raikkonen’s lap record in the Zetec race. Then, in 2004, she showed up at Cosworth’s UK offices, refusing to leave until she met boss Kevin Kalkhoven. Her persistence and efforts impressed a man who initially intended to kick her out of the facility; instead, she was given the chance to prove herself in the Toyota Atlantic US Championship.

Legge’s open-wheel opportunities quickly transitioned to sports car seats after several years in Champ Car and IndyCar; she piloted the one-of-a-kind three-wheeled DeltaWing before earning her first win in the GTD class with Mike Shank Racing in 2017.

But her shot at the 2024 Indianapolis 500 looks to be her best yet thanks to elf Cosmetics. The makeup and skincare brand first partnered with Legge in 2023 before choosing to expand its partnership with her in 2024. Instead of being a minor sponsor, elf became a major partner by Legge, with pink and black branding adorning her Dale Coyne Honda. The company later expanded its sponsorship to include the entire Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as well as the 108th Indy 500.

The incident culminated in a groundbreaking goblin activation within IMS. There, a female DJ performs throughout the day while fans of all kinds can score free products (from some much-needed sunscreen to bright red lip-plumping lip gloss ), get a quick makeover, learn about the history of women in the Indy 500, and take home some exclusive Leprechaun/Legge goodies, including scarves, hats, and magnets.

It was an activation unlike anything I’ve seen at the track before. I have attended races all over the world and it is extremely rare to find one whatever designed to attract women. I’ve seen a few commercial tents, and I’ve heard of events like Le Mans gathering specific areas where male race fans can leave their wives. I’ve never seen a sponsor come out this deep, and I certainly never expected a makeup brand to have the most exciting and welcoming presence at the Indianapolis 500. Young Girls posing with Katherine Legge’s driving outfit on display. Boys are crazy about elf hats/Legge. Mature women have been asking professional makeup artists to show them how to use blush and highlighter. The grown men asked if they could exchange the free lip balm sample for something more interesting, since they had a young girl at home who was experimenting with makeup for the first time.

It’s hard to quantify exactly how important that activation will be in the future of motorsport, but to me it feels huge. The elf activation represents a seismic shift in the world of motorsport, in the way we not only attract female fans but engage them in the sport in an authentic way. If I’m being completely honest it feels like the beginning of a racing revolution for female strikers.

As Katherine Legge finished her interview after withdrawing from the race, she thanked the crowd and waved. Countless people – both men and women – stood up to applaud her, because this year, people paid less attention to her performance. Instead, it’s about the impact she and her title sponsor have made on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In 1978, Janet Guthrie made another crash at the Indianapolis 500. She went to the Speedway pretending to have a broken wrist to try her luck with a DGS-equipped Wildcat chassis, a last-ditch effort to kept the old Offenhauser engine competitive. She got through the round of 15 with flying colors, outpacing legends like Bobby Unser and AJ Foyt. Guthrie and her broken wrist held on until the checkered flag fell. She finished ninth – the best finish for a woman at the Indy 500 until Danica Patrick’s fourth place finish in 2005.

That ninth place finish hasn’t quite permeated our memories like Guthrie’s first attempt at the 500, because by 1978, Guthrie had already made a huge impact on the motorsports zeitgeist of America. Guthrie’s qualification for one of the world’s most challenging races means she has made a mark that even individual success like a top 10 cannot rewrite. She forced culture to change.

When we look back at Katherine Legge’s 2024 Indy 500 run, I don’t think the outcome will be as important as her impact. Legge brought Elf Cosmetics to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the brand used its leverage to create a comfortable, thoughtful space for women in the midst of a male-dominated world. Her final finishing position certainly won’t be the personal result she would have wanted, but she can – and should – be proud of the change she has brought to the Umbrella Circuit Indianapolis bowl.

And who knows – maybe next year, Legge will do his best Janet Guthrie impression and make his cultural impact with a career-best finish. If anyone can do it, it’s Katherine Legge.