2 weeks Ago By Sahil Kurup
The NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway on Saturday featured a major on-track incident that rattled the field and drew sharp criticism from team owner Joey Gase . The crash involved three drivers — Katherine Legge , William Sawalich , and Kasey Kahne — and disrupted what had been shaping up as a strong run for all involved. Legge, piloting the No.
53 car for Joey Gase Racing, had been holding her own in the field before the incident occurred. While attempting to navigate lapped traffic, Sawalich — driving for powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing — made contact with Legge’s car as he tried to pass. The slight touch was enough to send Legge spinning hard into the outside wall.
Kasey Kahne, returning to NASCAR for the first time since 2018 and running in a competitive fourth place, was caught in the chaos and suffered heavy damage to his No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. NASCAR's Cup Series, meanwhile, is not taking place this weekend .
Chase Elliott solution becoming clear as Hendrick Motorsports replacement primed Max Verstappen would earn 6 times more than highest-paid NASCAR driver after Saudi offer The aftermath on Saturday was immediate and pointed. Gase took to social media shortly after the incident, directing blame at Sawalich and defending his driver. “And this is why this Joe Gibbs driver is 24th in owner points.
Sad. @katherinelegge was doing a hell of a job,” Gase posted on X. His remarks suggested that Sawalich's aggression not only ended Legge’s promising run but also derailed a milestone moment for Kahne.
Sign up to our NASCAR newsletter here. For Legge, the crash marked another bump in what has been an up-and-down return to NASCAR. The veteran driver, who boasts experience in IndyCar and sports car racing, has faced scrutiny this season, most notably after an early-season incident at Phoenix.
But Legge has been candid about her learning curve. “I made a mistake, right? I made a lot of mistakes during the race, tried to minimize them,” she said in a recent interview with NBC Sports. “I am a damn good race car driver, and I will come back and prove that was just a blip on the radar.
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Danica Patrick lets rip while expressing how she 'feels' in gym session Denny Hamlin has already painted his exit from Joe Gibbs Racing Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't hide his true feelings about suggested Bristol change Meanwhile, Kahne’s return had been one of the weekend’s biggest stories. The former Cup Series star showed flashes of his old form before being swept up in the crash.
Though his car returned to the track several laps down after repairs, the setback was a disappointing twist in an otherwise hopeful comeback. The Rockingham incident has reignited conversations around driver etiquette, especially when leaders are negotiating slower traffic. With the season still young, the fallout could impact not just standings, but relationships in the garage moving forward.
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