NASCAR's First Female Racer Since Danica Patrick Was A Disaster On And Off The Track

Look, I like Katherine Legge. I've covered her a ton over the years down here in Daytona. She's a nice person, with an incredible accent. This really isn't about her. 

It's about NASCAR allowing her to take the wheel in an actual Cup race with no experience two weeks ago at Phoenix. She promptly crashed twice, took out an actual Cup driver (Daniel Suarez) along the way, and has since received a ton of backlash from pissed-off fans. 

Angry NASCAR fans? Come on! You don't say. 

To me, their anger is misguided. It should be aimed straight at NASCAR's throat. They're the dummies who let her just willy-nilly into the sport with a lick of practice. But, Legge is taking it on the chin. It is what it is. 

Anyway, the 44-year-old Brit spoke to CNN on Wednesday about the whirlwind few weeks, and … didn't exactly help herself out. 

I don't know. It was just bizarre. She said she wants another crack at NASCAR, which is fine. Obviously she's gonna say that. But she also went on a weird little rant about how she doesn't want to be a role model for young girls, and never asked to be put in the spotlight. 

Just … odd:

Katherine Legge doesn't get it

See? I don't know. She's just all over the map here. For starters, she's talking to CNN. That's Strike 1. Maybe a good thing for Legge, though, because Lord knows there ain't a NASCAR fan in America who watched that. 

Hell, I'd wager to say they don't even know where to find CNN on their color TV. 

Everything about the end of that interview just struck me as odd. It's not often you see a sports figure go on TV and just openly say they don't want to be a role model. Or a representative for their sport. What the hell did Katherine expect would happen at Phoenix two weeks ago?

She was the first female driver to start a NASCAR Cup Series race since Danica Patrick. 

Danica Patrick! 

No matter your thoughts on Danica the racer, those are huge shoes to fill, and Katherine predictably crapped the bed. A spin here, a wreck there. Everyone else in the field was pissed. It wasn't a great look for NASCAR. 

Daniel Suarez wasn't thrilled. I don't blame him. 

Yes, I know. Weird interview. Looks like Daniel's been hitting the weight room, though! Good for him. 

Anyway, Katherine Legge is a fine racer. She's raced in IMSA and Indy, Formula E, and the NASCAR Xfinity and ARCA Series. 

That's all well and good. 

She didn't belong in the Cup Series two weeks ago. 

And if she doesn't care to be a role model for the younger generation, I'm not really sure if there's a point in inviting her back.