Throttle Therapy with Katherine Legge

Katherine Legge returns to IndyCar after a year and a half away! She explains why Indy demands respect, how equipment differences shape results, and why she pushed to rejoin with HMD Motorsports supported by AJ Foyt Racing. She previews a busy May with sim work and the NASCAR Cup Series Watkins Glen race before heading into Indy 500 preparations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge shares an update on her newly announced return to the Indy 500 with HMD Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing, describing the massive behind-the-scenes effort, sponsor and team coordination, and her push to be as prepared and competitive as possible after a year away from IndyCar (and after a NASCAR season). Joined by producer Grace for listener Q&A, Katherine responds to Stephen A. Smith’s claim that NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes, explaining how she trains (CrossFit, running, core/upper body, heat prep), and sharing her pre-race routines and recovery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge welcomes racer Dystany Spurlock to discuss her transition from motorcycle drag racing to her ARCA debut, where she had a historic top-10 finish. Dystany recounts starting motorcycle drag racing as a teenager at Virginia Motorsports Park on a Suzuki GSX-R 750, learning through test days, YouTube, and her godfather, and explains the ladder from XDA to NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle, where she debuted last year. A former football corner/safety and the first girl in her county to play, she outlines her goal to reach NASCAR Cup, juggling NHRA with her ARCA debut while training in North Carolina with sims, film, and late-model seat time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge welcomes engineer and team manager-turned-motorsports journalist and podcast host for RACER, Marshall Pruett to trace his racing roots – from his mechanic father to retiring from IndyCar work just to be sucked back in through coaching and engineering before starting his media career. They dig into the tricky dynamics of reporting on friends and break down why “identical” IndyCars still vary so much.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge welcomes F1 culture writer and host of No Grip, Lily Herman, who explains how her Engine Failure newsletter, born from Drive to Survive-era curiosity, and her previous podcast, Choosing Sides, led to her new show that treats F1 like a “traveling circus.” They discuss everything from the astrological placement of drivers and paddock gossip, to F1’s new rules and the F1 Academy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge talks with AJ Foyt Racing president Larry Foyt about running an IndyCar team and where the sport is headed. Foyt says AJ first told him “no way” to racing, so he quit other sports, swept floors at the shop, and started in go-karts. They discuss the grind of sponsorship and budgets, why results are about people and culture as much as money, moving operations from Texas to Indianapolis to find talent, working well with Santino Ferrucci, and how technical alliances (like their Penske partnership) shape IndyCar’s future and potential growth to three cars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge is joined by author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail and Mind Over Mountain host, Cheryl Strayed to discuss their mindsets on endurance. They reflect on how Cheryl’s motto that you can always take “one more step,” mirrors Katherine’s “one more lap” survival during a brutal IndyCar race, fearing she’d let women down if she quit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Legge introduces her mom, Vivienne (“Mama Legge”), on her first-ever podcast to discuss Katherine’s “born without fear” childhood—from walking at eight months and being a nonstop “human dynamo” to a newborn heart issue. Vivienne admits why she can’t watch Katherine race now, and recalls learning about Katherine’s 2006 crash.They laugh about heavy right feet, Dad quitting smoking to buy tires, and Vivienne hating the gym despite building “a tiny weeny” arm muscle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Throttle Therapy, Katherine Legge is joined by longtime friend Melissa Eickhoff, CEO of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. They discuss the challenges the Pikes Peak course presents, from the weather to the wildlife, and the constant problem-solving involved to make the race happen. They cover safety and driver selection, the heartbreak of shortening the course due to wind and debris, Fan Fest’s 35,000-person downtown takeover, and iconic moments from the race.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Throttle Therapy, Katherine Legge welcomes close friend Andy Lally to discuss his transition from racing to becoming president of the Trans Am Series. Lally explains how the opportunity arose while he was seeking a Trans Am ride, the realities of running a series, and his plans to improve Trans Am’s production and marketing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.