Katherine Legge

[drewdawg727]

As many of you noticed, there was a segment in the middle of the Edmonton race where the pit reporters were interviewing Katherine Legge, the Toyota Atlantics winner of the Edmonton Race.

Is there any talk of her getting a Champ Car ride?

[D.R.T.]

Katherine said over the weekend that she would need another year in Atlantics before she believed she would be ready for Champ Car.

[racefanatic]

Yeah, I read the transcript from that interview and found that statement pretty amazing. I would have thought she would try to jump into a champcar as soon as possible, but that was very mature of her to actually say that she doesn't believe she is ready yet.

[mountainstar]

There are rumours going around about a test. I imagine if she continues to do well she'll probably get it. What I like about her is that she isn't arrogant, just confident. I think she will have a long term future in the US.

[Kicking-back]

She was never much good in FRenault or F3, I believe she's being flattered by a) being in a very good team and b) the weak field in Atlantics this year.

[Mackmot]

I think Katherine is improving, in F3 she was with no one on a minimal budget and in FR she was with the best team but treated as number 4 driver (still got a pole though).

I think she is right to say she needs another year to be ready for Champ Car but I think with the right team she will do a reasonable job. Shes better than a lot of the drivers in Champ Car.

You are right KB that she is being flattered but for some drivers its that kind of environment that gives them the confidence to achieve their potential.

[BootsOntheSide]

Increasingly it looks like having a female driver of any levle of competitiveness is a good way of boosting general public interest in the championship, and OWRS are surely monitoring her progress with interest, and it could be that if an extra car is needed to get up to 18 at some point, she will be the driver on offer to a team.

[luke]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

She was never much good in FRenault or F3, I believe she's being flattered by a) being in a very good team and b) the weak field in Atlantics this year.

Yes she is in a good team but the resulst speak for themeself. She won on her debut at a tricky street circuit she had never driven on and I wouldn't say they field was 'weak'.

She wants to do another year of Atlantics which makes sence. Hopefully we can see her in Champ Car in 2007.

[Snrub]

Out of the Atlantics races I've seen, Legge doesn't look ready for Champ Car. She's not there yet. She's a good passer, but often she's a little ragged.

I believe Wirth had a CC test as a result of winning Formula BMW. That doesn't mean he's ready to step up, but it's just to give drivers a little taste. I would not be at all surprised if Legge had a test in the off season, but I wouldn't read too much into it.

The way Zwolsman handles the car he looks like he could probably step up, but I wouldn't go so far as to expect success from him like we did of AJ.

[macdaddy]

Kevin Kalkhoven:

Any driver who comes into the series has to be capable of winning. With Katherine, she's not automatically assured a drive in Champ Car. She has to prove her worth because I'm not going to endanger other drivers by putting someone who is not prepared for Champ Cars in the seat. Having said that, I think she is going to be a strong and competitive driver. She has to earn her stripes.

No matter what happens, I'm not going to automatically put her in and say, 'We need you for publicity. Would you mind getting in a bikini and draping yourself over a car?' She's a professional driver and that's what we need in the series. I'm not going to give anyone a ride because she's a woman, nor would I expect her to be given an unfair advantage in the series against everyone else.

Link.

[icemachine]

No Danica type pictures, eh. Too bad that. Good to see that she will stick by her principles though. I remember earlier in the season she said something to the effect of "I want to be known as a winner, not just a cute body"

[drewdawg727]

"Any driver who comes into the series has to be capable of winning."

How do you explain drivers like Marcus Marshall and the Speraficos?

[macdaddy]

I noticed that too, drewdawg.

[drewdawg727]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Increasingly it looks like having a female driver of any levle of competitiveness is a good way of boosting general public interest in the championship, and OWRS are surely monitoring her progress with interest, and it could be that if an extra car is needed to get up to 18 at some point, she will be the driver on offer to a team.

Very respectable words there, Boots. They obviously have some sort of interest in her if we keep hearing about her and her progress. Sure, she is in a weak Toyota Atlantics field, but at the same time, she is one of the best drivers in that series at the moment now. Of course, her self-esteem and her thoughts of her potential must go on the increase if she has all of these good finishes.

She can only get better, right?

[drewdawg727]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

I noticed that too, drewdawg.

I'm not trying to badmouth them at all, saying that they're horrible drivers or anything...

But you have to realize that those 3 can't seem to put anything together for a top 10 finish. With the exception of Servia, Dale Coyne's cars never can seem to pull together any good results. Drivers like Geoff Boss, Gualtar Salles, the Speraficos, and several of the other musical chairs drivers he's had for the past few years refute that quote that Kalkhoven has made. On a rare occasion, you'll see them in the top 10, but that's only because of attrition or a fit of luck.

[Snrub]

I think the key part of macdaddy's quote that is being overlooked is where KK says: 'I'm not going to endanger other drivers by putting someone who is not prepared.."

In other words he's saying he's not going to finance the racing of someone who's subpar. That doesn't mean that Alex Sperafico and Marcus Marshall can't be in the series if they come up with their own money. Give Richardo some time before bad mouthing him, he's starting to show potential.

[Kicking-back]

Ricardo has a solid track record in F3000, Marshall and Alex have no credentals at all.


As for Legge, it seems she's adopting a sensible approach - but as it stands just now, any series where she and Charles Zwolsman are the frontrunners is not very high on driver ability.

[mac]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Ricardo has a solid track record in F3000, Marshall and Alex have no credentals at all.

He has stayed out of the way when required and is making real improvements in both pace and consistency in a particularly tough situation.

He could not have been thrown more in the deep end.

[Amar7605]

I hope that Katherine Legge will get a Champ Car ride. She is a good driver with excellent skills.

[jondownunder]

Originally Posted by drewdawg727

"Any driver who comes into the series has to be capable of winning."

How do you explain drivers like Marcus Marshall and the Speraficos?

I know it's been said, but Ricardo Sperafico was more than respectable in F3000 (runner up to Wirdheim in 2003!), and certainly deserves a Champ Car drive on merit... Alex on the other hand has demonstrated none of the potential of his three cousins.

On the subject, whatever happened to Rafael Sperafico? I haven't heard anything since his disappointing 2003 Euro 3000 season (after he finished Barber Dodge runner-up in 2002). The talents of Ricardo's brother Rodrigo seem to have gone to waste too.

[Liz]

I'm relieved to hear KK's determination to treat Legge as a driver and not as merely something to try to drag in the ever-diminishing 15-21 year old demographic. I'm hoping to interview her at Montreal and will not be asking her any questions about other female drivers, her underwear, etc.

[Tim Northcutt]

Personally, I hope to see her in the ALMS....

That seems to be where some of the Toyota Atlantic talent has gone in recent years, with a few exceptions...

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

Personally, I hope to see her in the ALMS....

That seems to be where some of the Toyota Atlantic talent has gone in recent years, with a few exceptions...

If she keeps performing well, I think we'll see her in champcar before ALMS. It would be cool now with the closer relationship forming between champcar and ALMS for drivers to participate in both disciplines much like the old days of can-am and F5000.

[Amar7605]

I have to admit, I looked at the Danica Patrick photos, and I was turned on. But that was when I was younger. Now, as I am a bit older and hopefully wiser, I really hope that the same thing doesn't happen to Katherine. The thing is that I want to like her as a driver and not as a sex object. And I hope that all Champ Car fans feel the same way :-)

[extreme]

I cant help but think that she is being groomed to take over for Jimmy. My guess is that you will see Jimmy race one more year and then in 2007 you will see Katherine show up at PKV. This is just my thoughts, this comes form no credible source but it is what i see happening

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