Katherine Legge will compete in the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same date, a double program that makes her the first woman and the first non-American competitor to attempt the combined 1,100 miles of both races. The project came together after e.l.f. Cosmetics secured funding for both events, an agreement that Legge described as a vote of confidence to push the limits she perceives in her own career. At 45 years old, the Englishwoman will be the oldest driver to join a list that previously included only U.S.-born men.

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The Double Duty and who has completed it

The challenge of running the Indy 500 in the morning and the Coca-Cola 600 at night has existed since John Andretti pioneered it in 1994, finishing 10th at Indianapolis and 36th at Charlotte due to a crankshaft failure on lap 220. Of the five drivers who attempted it before Legge, only Tony Stewart managed to complete the full distance of both races in 2001, with a sixth place at Indy and a third at Charlotte. Kurt Busch finished sixth at Indianapolis in 2014 but retired from the Coca-Cola 600 due to an engine failure before covering the entire distance. Robby Gordon tried on five occasions between 1997 and 2004 without being able to complete both races on the same date, and Kyle Larson saw his 2024 and 2025 plans frustrated: in 2024 he arrived at Charlotte with the race already halted by rain and didn't turn a single lap, and in 2025 he retired on lap 245 of 400 in the Coca-Cola 600 after an accident while leading.

The agreement with e.l.f. Cosmetics and the teams

The Englishwoman already had a seat for the Indy 500 in the No. 11 of HMD Motorsports alongside AJ Foyt Racing, her fifth participation in the race. The news came with the confirmation that e.l.f. Cosmetics will extend its backing to the Coca-Cola 600, where Legge will drive the Chevrolet No. 78 of Live Fast Motorsports, the same team with which she raced at Watkins Glen. The logistical structure for moving from Indiana to North Carolina requires that the Indianapolis race finish without weather or incident delays, a factor that has derailed previous attempts. Legge runs a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Cup Series and her car does not have a charter, so she will have to earn her spot through qualifying if the entry list exceeds 40 cars.

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Legge's background

Legge made her Indy 500 debut in 2012 with Dragon Racing and her best result in the event is 22nd place from that year, followed by 26th in 2013, 33rd in 2023, and 29th in 2024. In the NASCAR Cup Series, her best performance was a 17th-place finish in the 2025 Brickyard 400 with Live Fast, the team's highest result on a non-restrictor-plate track. She has eight races in the category and has never competed in the Coca-Cola 600, although she raced in the O'Reilly division at Charlotte in May 2025. The combination of a very high-downforce car like the IndyCar on the IMS oval and a stock car for 600 nighttime miles presents a physical and concentration challenge unprecedented in her career.

The agreement was announced with barely two weeks' margin before the event, a nearly nonexistent lead time for what usually requires months of preparation. Legge said she does not take this opportunity lightly and that the project means betting on herself and seeking something out of the ordinary. The absence of Bump Day at Indianapolis for 2026 guarantees her participation in the Indy 500, but admission to the Charlotte grid still depends on her getting through qualifying and the final number of entries. If the weather cooperates and the NASCAR qualifying session gives her room, Legge could add an unprecedented line to the history of the Double Duty.