How NASCAR’s Katherine Legge Handles a Torrent of Social Media Hate: ‘I Just Feel Sorry for Them’

Katherine Legge, the British racing driver making waves in NASCAR, has opened up about the relentless hate and death threats she’s faced since entering the sport in March. The 44-year-old has been bombarded with thousands of vile messages, including disturbing threats such as “you need to be assassinated” and “swallow a shotgun.” Some have even gone so far as to suggest she take her own life.

Legge initially tried to ignore the online trolls, but after a tough weekend at Rockingham, she decided to speak out. In an exclusive interview with CNN Sports, she described the escalating toxicity she’s encountered on social media, highlighting the need for people to call out this kind of behavior.

“Online bullying is getting more toxic, and I think that somebody needs to call it out,” she said. “It’s shocking to read some of the vile things that people write. There just seems to be this whole online movement where people think it’s OK to say things they would never have the courage to say to someone face-to-face—or that they absolutely shouldn’t.”

Sadly, Legge is not alone in facing such abuse. Many female athletes have come forward in recent years to share their own experiences with online threats. College basketball star Angel Reese and WNBA’s Breanna Stewart have both opened up about receiving death threats and other horrific messages. Tennis player Caroline Garcia even reported being told on social media to consider suicide. Legge, however, feels that her experience as NASCAR’s only female driver makes her a target for even more vitriol.

“I think it’s more prevalent with women in sports, especially in male-dominated sports,” she explained. “We stick out more. There’s this opinion that we’re a gimmick, or that we haven’t earned our spot, that we’re just there as part of diversity efforts.”

Despite the ongoing abuse, Legge has developed a thick skin and refuses to let the hate affect her. She explains, “It’s just noise. I don’t waste my time or energy on it. The people whose opinions matter to me are my family, my friends, my team members, and my supporters—those who have been there and done it.”

Rather than engaging with the trolls, Legge takes a more empathetic approach. “I just feel sorry for them,” she said. “I would never go online to bring someone down to raise myself up, so I just feel sad for those who do.”

While Legge doesn’t believe the death threats are likely to be carried out, NASCAR is taking her safety seriously. The organization has provided a security detail for her upcoming races, and the sport’s head of security has informed law enforcement in her hometown about the threats.

NASCAR’s Commissioner, Steve Phelps, has strongly condemned the abuse, calling it “unacceptable” and emphasizing that the sport stands behind Legge. “This is a woman who has competed very successfully in all forms of motorsports,” Phelps stated. “We want her here in NASCAR, and any hate directed at her has no place in our sport.”

So far this season, Legge has had two races that resulted in DNFs (Did Not Finish), but she remains determined to improve. With 11 more races ahead, including events in the Xfinity and Cup series, she’s focused on growing as a competitor and proving her critics wrong.

“I’m having a great time on these awesome tracks, driving these beasts,” she said, smiling. “I just want to keep improving and see where I can go from here. If I can show that I’m capable, hopefully, the negativity will die down.”

Legge also hopes that her example will help inspire others who are dealing with bullying, especially online. “It’s bullying, plain and simple. And it’s something that we should all be taught isn’t acceptable,” she said.

Despite not setting out to be a role model, Legge feels a sense of responsibility to younger fans who might look up to her. “If just one person sees what I’m going through and decides to ignore the hate, then it’s been worth it,” she said, adding that she wants to act as a beacon of light for those dealing with their own struggles.

For Legge, her journey is about more than racing—it’s about standing up to the toxicity that too often defines online spaces, and showing others that they can rise above it too.