That 2006 crash had followed an uncertain time in Legge’s career. She had tested a Minardi F1 car the year before, but a shot at an F1 drive never materialised despite her ambition to race in the world’s most popular racing category.
Instead Legge’s is a career that reflects her assertion of having to fight for drives throughout motorsport – touring the world in search of work, a freelance racer for hire.
She competed in the German ‘DTM’ touring car championships from 2008 for two years, then spent two more years racing in the US Indycar series, taking part in the famous Indy 500 race. The following year saw her compete in the ever-more popular Formula E electric racing series – and a stint in the American Nascar series came in 2018.
But none has yielded the kind of success her early career suggested.
Fast-forward to January 2019 and Legge, 38, is lining up on the the grid for the iconic and gruelling 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race.
It’s an event she knows well having finished second in her class in 2018, but this year there is extra scrutiny. She is the lead driver in a ground-breaking all-female team.
“So far it’s been received by everybody really well because it’s being taken seriously. We have the best female drivers in the world. It’s not a gimmick. We’ve got a legitimate shot of winning.”
Legge was instrumental in recruiting Brazil’s Bia Figueiredo, Swiss driver Simona de Silvestro and Denmark’s Christina Nielsen to the line-up. All “bad-ass women”, according to Nielsen.
However, none of this would have been possible without the persistence of Jackie Heinricher, a former US Air Force Medic and successful businesswoman whose name shines proudly from the car they’ll be racing in.
As Heinricher runs her hand over the bonnet she says: “It’s an amazing feeling. We’ve worked for years to bring this whole effort together.
“Sponsorship is probably the hardest thing you can get in any sport let alone racing and let alone women. The door was slammed on me over and over for two years. This makes me feel like all that time paid off.”
The race begins well enough for the team, the first all-female line-up here since 1994.
For the first two stints of the race, driven by Figueredo and Nielsen, the team hold their own in a field that includes several former F1 stars and a sister team car driven by men.
Then comes Legge’s chance to shine. Considered the team captain for her experience and leadership off the track, she hauls the car up six places as night falls and fatigue begins to set in for all teams.
And then, drama. Legge tangles with one of the lead ‘prototype’ cars, sending them both on to the grass. Having lost several positions in the spin, a fired-up Legge claws her way up to third by the time she hands the car over to De Silvestro, wowing fans and commentators with her skill and determination.
Another milestone for the Daytona 24 changes everything. Halfway through the race – in the dead of night – torrential rain arrives, putting out the fans’ campsite fires and many teams’ hopes. For the first time in history the race is under threat of being ended early because of conditions.
Legge senses her chance to seize the initiative again. But this time her willingness to risk everything is punished.
Her car brushes the wall at speed, breaking the suspension and forcing Legge to limp back to the pits.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” comes the question over team radio, as mechanics frantically try to fix the damage. “I’m sorry,” is all an emotional Legge can muster in response.
The race is eventually called off around 10 minutes earlier than scheduled, and the team finishes 15th in their class.
“It hurts, but we gave it everything,” says Legge. “Once you’re done there’s nothing you can do. But we’ll keep fighting – we’ll never give up.”