Legge: “It’s Been a Fight” in MSR’s Championship Quest

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Katherine Legge says it’s been a ‘fight’ to put the necessary pieces in place for the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 to complete the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season amid its championship pursuit.

Legge and the team’s second Acura were confirmed last week for the remaining races, following a race-by-race program that extended beyond the car’s initially confirmed Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup-only campaign.

A string of four podium finishes in the six GT Daytona class races this season, however, has put Legge and the No. 86 Acura into title contention, which added to the pressure of securing funding for the remaining races.

“Mike [Shank] has been fighting, [to] pretty much beg, steal and borrow to get that car on the track for the full year,” Legge told Sportscar365.

“We were only confirmed for the endurance races and then we started doing really well in the championship so we kept going to the next one.

“I don’t think it’s been easy on anybody. But it’s just a testament to the team and Acura for their competitive spirit and how much they want this championship.

“There’s a lot of pressure but we’ll do what we can.”

While losing ground to championship leaders Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow last time out at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Legge sits only three points behind the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini duo entering this weekend’s Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park.

Legge admitted she didn’t necessarily expect to be in this position but is ready for the fight in the remaining four rounds of the season.

“I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest,” she said. “I hoped [that it would develop into a full-season], you always do. I kept saying if we did well here, or here, maybe we’d continue. Then Mike found SiriusXM and Jim Meyer came on board, which is really exciting.

“We’ve been able to legitimize everything with a huge sponsor, which is great.

“It’s been a fight. But then my whole career has been about fighting and working my way up. So it’s been nothing new.”

2019 Plans Ramping Up for Legge

Legge is shaping up to have a busy 2019, with likely dual-championship programs for the Atlanta-based Briton.

The ex-open-wheel ace was announced last week as the first confirmed driver for the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, which will run in support of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in the 2018-19 season.

Legge indicated she also intends to continue in the WeatherTech Championship, despite two potential clashes between the new all-electric championship, namely the likely round in Santiago and the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.

While the ten-round eTROPHY calendar has yet to be announced, a Jaguar representative told Sportscar365 that it is aware of the potential clash in January.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John