Bubba Wallace Victorious at Brickyard, Katherine Legge Exceeds Expectations

Wallace Claims Coveted Brickyard 400 Crown

In a stunning upset, **Bubba Wallace** secured his first NASCAR Cup Series win in nearly three years at the prestigious Brickyard 400. Battling rain delays and multiple overtime restarts, Wallace held off a hard-charging **Kyle Larson** to claim the checkered flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This victory marks **Wallace’s** first in the No. 23 Toyota and his maiden triumph in a regular season crown jewel event.

Skepticism Greets Legge’s Indy Run, Overcome by Strong Finish

The Brickyard 400 also saw **Katherine Legge** deliver a performance that defied expectations and silenced critics. Many NASCAR fans had voiced displeasure earlier in the season when **Legge** was granted a Cup Series debut at Phoenix, particularly after **Mike Wallace** was denied a starting spot in the Daytona 500. **Legge’s** initial outing was marred by two spins and contact with **Daniel Suarez**, fueling skepticism about her capabilities on oval tracks.

Further doubt arose from **Legge’s** limited success in ARCA and Xfinity Series oval events. The decision to allow her a Cup start at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a track where she possesses significant Indy 500 experience, drew considerable backlash. The author of this piece was also among those who harbored doubts regarding **Legge’s** suitability for the event.

However, **Legge** had demonstrated progress in her preceding road and street course starts, including a respectable 19th-place finish in Chicago. This result, combined with team owner **B.J. McLeod’s** 16th at Atlanta, marked the first back-to-back top-20 finishes for Live Fast Motorsports in its five-year history.

Concerns about **Legge’s** potential at Indy were amplified by the fact she was competing with Live Fast Motorsports, a team often perceived as a backmarker. Her qualification in 38th place, ahead of only a crashed **Denny Hamlin**, further fueled anxieties. Despite these challenges, **Legge** maintained a clean race, ultimately finishing 17th. This marked the team’s best-ever result on a non-drafting track, a significant achievement.

This performance contributed to the team securing three top-20 finishes in their last four starts, a feat they never accomplished even when running full-time. As of the 2023 season, Live Fast Motorsports has accumulated 10 top-20 finishes in 33 starts. This indicates a substantial improvement in performance.

Legge has proven her capability in the Cup Series for any starts Live Fast Motorsports schedules for her, though superspeedway drafting races at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta remain potential hurdles due to her limited experience. Her journey from her initial Phoenix start to her career-best finish at Indianapolis showcased significant growth.

**Legge** is slated for two more road course starts this season: Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. **McLeod** will pilot the No. 78 Chevrolet in the season finale at Daytona and the playoff race at Talladega.

The No. 78 Chevrolet is not entered in the upcoming Iowa Corn 350. Coverage begins Sunday, August 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.