Katherine Legge makes NASCAR Cup race over 23XI in Chicago upset

Entering the Chicago race weekend, five open entries were entered for the final four spots on the grid. While Shane van Gisbergen earned an impressive pole position, it was a David vs. Goliath battle for the last spot in the field with the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet up against the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota of Corey Heim.

Reigning Supercars champ Will Brown put Kaulig Racing in the show by placing 19th, the Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Austin Hill was 30th, and Josh Bilicki made it in with a 31st-place run in the Garage 66 Ford.

But no one expected Corey Heim, who is currently dominating the NASCAR Truck Series, to be in danger of missing the show. During his first run, the 23XI driver hit the wall and bent a toe-link, putting him in real danger. Even with a wounded car, he bettered his lap by four tenths, but it still wasn’t fast enough.

Corey Heim, Toyota

Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images

Legge, who made her Cup debut earlier this year at Phoenix, had her own trouble after crashing into the tire barriers during practice. She even touched the wall in qualifying as well, but unlike Heim, she escaped without any significant damage.

In the end, she bested Heim by just over a tenth, locking the single-car team into the show and ensuring 23XI’s fourth entry with Heim would be sent home.

“I was thinking, way to go showing all my minor indiscretions there,” she told TNT Sports as they replayed her wild day on track. “I tried my best to mess that qualifying up, honestly (laughs). It was a lot of pressure to come in with only 20 minutes of practice on a street course where there is no room for error (and) try to put it in the show. I actually feel pretty good about it now.

“We would have been a lot faster had I not kept nicking the walls. I’ve given my crew a lot of work to do. Sorry guys! But I just had to keep pushing and put it in the show, which we did so I’m very proud of them. I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow and a little bit less stress.”

More stressful than Indy

Katherine Legge, Chevrolet

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Legge has qualified for four Indy 500s in the past, but claimed qualifying for the biggest oval race in the world was less stressful than this.

“There’s a level of comfort with Indy,” explained Legge. “I know where I’m going and what I’m doing and here, it’s very much drinking from a fire hose, trying to find my feet and get better. And the only way to get better is with laps and we don’t have any practice … it’s this vicious circle. But I really appreciate everybody’s support. it means the world to me. i can’t thank everybody enough. It’s been a hell of a year.”

Legge will start 33rd in the 40-car field for her third Cup start of the year. There are five different countries represented in the field, including Legge, who was born in Surrey, England.

Heim reacted to his DNQ on social media, saying he “made a mistake on my first lap and bent the toe link. Tried to get everything I could out of it after that but clearly wasn’t enough. That’s completely my fault and still trying to process all of it. Thank you 23XI Racing for a car plenty capable enough to make the race.”