Katherine Legge's 'Double' Attempt CRUSHED in 18 Laps: 'Right Now I'm Pissed'

Man, talk about a punch to the gut! Katherine Legge's ambitious run at the "double" ended in an absolute nightmare this Sunday afternoon, going out of the Indianapolis 500 after a brutal 18 laps. Seriously, 18 laps! She was fired up, ready to tackle 1,100 miles of pure racing intensity, and it all evaporated in a cloud of smoke and a crash into the infield fence. You can practically feel her fury, and honestly, we get it.

The Instant It All Went Sideways

This isn't just bad luck, it's soul-crushing. Legge, in her No. 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports with A.J. Foyt Racing, was coming out of Turn 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when Ryan Hunter-Reay lost control of his own Chevy. The dude bounced off the wall, and suddenly there was smoke everywhere. Legge said she couldn't see a darn thing, and when Hunter-Reay's car finally appeared, she had mere split seconds to react. She swerved hard left to avoid him, but it wasn't enough. Bang! Her car slammed into the infield fence, sustaining significant damage. Both drivers were out of the race and checked by medical staff, thankfully with no apparent injuries. Legge's take? "He came back up the track, so last minute I had to go left. It wasn't enough time to avoid." Brutal. Absolutely brutal.

'Pissed' is an Understatement for the 'Double' Dreamer

This wasn't just any race, right? Legge was making her sixth bid at the legendary "double," attempting to compete in both the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend. That's 1,100 miles of racing across two premiere events with barely a breath in between. She said last week, "Very few drivers ever get the opportunity to attempt the 'double,' and I do not take that opportunity lightly. This challenge is about pushing through perceived limits and trying to do something unique." And then, poof, gone in 18 laps. You gotta feel for her. "Desperately frustrating," she called it, adding, "To be taken out by something not in your control, it would be slightly better to be taken out by something in your control ... we were looking forward to a long day, 1,100 miles." The only driver to ever finish on the lead lap of both races on the same day was Tony Stewart in 2001. Now, Legge still has to head to Charlotte for the NASCAR race, and she's not sugarcoating her mood. "I need to have an attitude adjustment, because right now I'm pissed," she stated. "And disappointed. I need to get on that plane and try and get into the right mindset." That's the kind of raw honesty you respect. She's got hours to switch gears, physically and mentally, for another massive challenge. What a fighter, even when everything just blew up in her face. You know she's going to be looking to tear up the track in Charlotte now, if only to channel that fury.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.