AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Katherine Legge spent 25 years working her way through professional motorsports before getting her shot at driving a NASCAR Cup Series car.
Her first go-round was a bumpy ride.
The first woman to drive a Cup Series car in seven years, Legge spun out twice and didn't finish the race in her debut at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
“It was baptism by fire,” Legge told Fox Sports. “I think there’s a lot of positives to take from it. Obviously, there were mistakes made, but I learned so much. Hopefully, I get to come back.”
Legge had raced everything from dirt bikes to IndyCars during her climb through the ranks, learning she would get her Cup Series shot about 10 days before Sunday's race. The English driver had limited experience on ovals, spending much of her prep time in a simulator in North Carolina before becoming the first female driver on the circuit since Danica Patrick at the 2018 Daytona 500.
Legge struggled in qualifying at the mile oval in the desert, so she and the Live Fast Motorsports team opted to make several overnight changes to her No. 78 Chevrolet.
It didn't work out quite how they wanted.
Fighting the car from the start, Legge spun out on lap 4 of the 312-mile race before returning to the field. She struggled to make up any ground and spun again late in the race after bumping off another car, taking out Daniel Suarez with her.
Legge couldn't continue to race and finished 30th.
“I was so loose. I was hanging onto it,” she said. "We kept making adjustments. We kept making the car way more stable for me. At the end there, I think we were relatively quick, so it wasn’t bad. I wish we hadn’t made the changes. It was a rough start.”
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Katherine Legge drives around Turn 4 during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Katherine Legge signs autographs before the start of a NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — Jury selection began Monday in the assault trial of former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs in connection with a heated dispute he had with his private chef.
The four-time Pro Bowl wideout pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged dispute with his former private chef.
Diggs declined to speak to reporters as he arrived at Norfolk County District Court in Dedham, a Boston suburb.
According to court records, the chef told officers that she and Diggs had argued about money he owed her for work. During the Dec. 2 encounter at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts, she said, he “smacked her across the face” and then “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck,” leaving her feeling short of breath. She told officers she had trouble breathing and felt she could have blacked out.
Diggs’ attorney has said he “categorically denies these allegations,” calling them unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute. Diggs did not speak to reporters outside court in February.
Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with New England last year and was a key target for quarterback Drake Maye during the Patriots’ AFC East title run. Before joining the Patriots, Diggs was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 and played for the Buffalo Bills before a brief stint with the Houston Texans in 2024.
Diggs’ 1,000-yard season with the Patriots marked the seventh of his career. It helped complete a successful career revival after a season-ending knee injury derailed what turned out to be a one-year stay with the Houston Texans in 2024.
Diggs, who led the team with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four touchdowns in his only season with the Patriots, was released by the team in March. Diggs posted a goodbye on social media, thanking the Patriots for the season and saying: “We family forever.”
Diggs has yet to sign with another team.
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
