On June 19, 1949, Sara Christian made history as the first woman to compete in a NASCAR race. She broke barriers at a time when women were barely seen in motorsports. Despite competing in only seven Cup Series races, Christian remains the only female driver to score a top-five finish in NASCAR’s top level. One would think that, over 75 years later, women would have a stronger presence in NASCAR’s top series.

Yet, in 2025, the conversation hasn’t changed. Women still struggle to find sponsorship, seat time, and opportunities at the highest level. This weekend, Katherine Legge became the first woman to start a Cup Series race since Danica Patrick in 2018. However, she failed to put up a show and ended her race with a wreck. And next thing you know there’s a wave of criticism that came her way. Some questioned her credibility to race in the Cup Series, while others felt the stage was too big for her.

Bubba Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, was particularly blunt. He said, “They put her in a position where she wasn’t going to succeed. They set her up for failure because she should have never been approved to run this race.” His words echoed a sentiment that has been around for years: Many in the NASCAR community don’t believe female drivers belong. But is all this backlash fair? Or has the criticism of female drivers gone too far?

The uphill battle for women in NASCAR

Female drivers have struggled to break into the NASCAR Cup Series for decades. It’s not just about talent; the biggest issue is opportunity. Unlike stick-and-ball sports, where scouts identify and develop rising stars through structured leagues, NASCAR depends heavily on sponsorships. Without financial backing, even the most skilled drivers can’t move up the ranks. For women, finding sponsorship is even harder.

Many investors hesitate to fund female drivers because of credibility concerns. With so few women in NASCAR’s history, companies fear they won’t get a return on investment. Former Xfinity driver Natalie Decker once admitted how hard it is to earn respect in the garage. “It’s really difficult to gain respect, be trusted, and for someone to really understand that you know what you’re doing. That’s difficult coming into the sport with little funding and maybe not a lot of seat time. When you’re new and also a woman on top of that? There are so many obstacles.”

Hailie Deegan, one of NASCAR’s most promising female drivers, faced this firsthand. People hyped her as the next big thing, yet she left the Xfinity Series midway through her rookie season due to sponsorship issues and internal conflicts. Despite her fame, Danica Patrick, the most successful woman in NASCAR history, also struggled. Critics often dismissed her career as a marketing gimmick and overlooked her legitimate racing accomplishments.

This just highlights how big the gap is. For a sport that had a female appearance almost half a century before the launch of the WNBA (1997), it’s just heartbreaking to see women drivers not getting their dues and respect. However, this isn’t just a NASCAR problem. Across motorsports, women are sidelined because of outdated perceptions. But the age-old perception that females can’t be race car drivers is just ruining the ambitions of young girls.

Many have criticized Katherine Legge’s lack of experience in stock cars. However, plenty of male drivers have entered NASCAR with limited experience. Daniel Suárez, who was caught in Legge’s crash at Phoenix, blamed NASCAR for allowing her to race. “They cannot allow somebody with no experience to run in the Cup Series. Plain and simple,” he said. But where was this criticism when open-wheel drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, or even Kimi Räikkönen made their NASCAR debuts?

Star NASCAR drivers have failed to put up a show in their rookie run, but no one questioned their ability. Notably, drivers like Kyle Busch, and Brad Keselowski crashed out on their Cup debuts, but did you hear any uproar like this? It’s just disheartening that NASCAR failed to live up to the legacy of Sara Christian and others.

Trending

1

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Lost for Words as $2.10 Trillion Employer Resurrects His Father’s Legacy

2

Denny Hamlin Questions Roger Penske’s Sudden Wood Brothers’ Revival as He Carefully Dissects Shady Alliance

3

Miraculous Cup Winner Openly Hints Driving for Dale Jr.’s JRM as He Eyes Cup Series Return with Rick Hendrick

4

Fans Stand Divided as Ex Wood Brothers Driver Gets Trashed for Dull Cup Season After Josh Berry’s Miracle

5

Dale Jr.’s Partner of 2 Decades Left in Disbelief as $2 Trillion Giant Unearths Unseen Dale Earnhardt Legacy

How do we change the narrative?

If NASCAR wants to see more women succeed, the system needs to change. The sport needs to create more opportunities at the grassroots level and break sponsorship barriers. It’s not enough to just let them enter a few races and hope they succeed. They need development programs, mentorship, and sponsorship backing. Also, increase female participation in engineering, pit crews, crew chief roles, and other positions beyond driving.

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been vocal about the lack of women in motorsports. He once noted that racing often places women in background roles, keeping them out of the spotlight. In an interview in 2023, he said, “We still need more women in the sport. And to fight to make sure that there are more and more women to put out at the front, in view, for young women and girls to be able to see that this is a place for women.”

Notably, Formula 1 has taken a step in the right direction with its F1 Academy, a program designed to support young female drivers. The program enables each Formula 1 team to field its sponsored drivers with their livery every season. Female engineers, team principals, crew, and race directors fully operate the series. F1 aims to bring multiple female drivers to the top series in upcoming years.

NASCAR should take notes. A similar program could give talented female racers experience without immediately throwing them into the deep end. The backlash against Katherine Legge proves that NASCAR doesn’t just have a talent issue—it has a perception problem. If teams only give women chances after they prove perfection, they will never get a real shot. No one expects a rookie male driver to hit the ground running, yet critics attack female drivers for not being instant contenders.

The sport needs to evolve. If NASCAR wants to move forward, it must invest in women rather than set them up to fail. Until then, every female driver who dares to compete at the highest level will continue to face the same harsh scrutiny as Danica Patrick and Katherine Legge.