How AJ Foyt Racing Has Helped Women In The Indy 500 In The Past

It’s a full circle moment for AJ Foyt Racing that dates all the way back to an earlier era when only men were allowed to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

That was before Janet Guthrie broke the gender barrier in 1977, one year after getting a chance to run in an AJ Foyt car.

After facing skepticism and extraordinary scrutiny, Guthrie was given a pivotal opportunity when A.J. Foyt allowed her to test one of his backup cars — a moment widely credited with changing perceptions of what women could achieve in motorsport.

One year later, Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for and compete in the Indy 500, the same race in which Foyt won his record-setting fourth 500.

Now, in a full-circle moment, Foyt’s team will field Legge’s entry — marking a powerful continuation of that legacy.

“AJ Foyt Racing has always been about giving racers a real shot,” team president Larry Foyt said. “The collaboration with our partners at HMD and e.l.f. Cosmetics has helped bring this program to the grid. Katherine has earned this opportunity, and we’re committed to giving her a strong, competitive platform.”

Legge is looking to make her fifth Indy 500 start in the No. 11 e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevrolet, after becoming just the ninth woman to qualify for the race in 2012.

HMD Motorsports A Key Part Of Legge’s Indy 500 Effort

The entry is a collaboration between AJ Foyt Racing and HMD Motorsports.

Foyt’s partnership with HMD Motorsports began in 2025 in the junior formula ranks, fielding multiple entries in the INDYINDY NXT by Firestone championship. Since entering the series in 2019, HMD has established itself as a powerhouse program—earning a team championship, two driver titles, multiple Rookie of the Year honors, and advancing several drivers to the NTT IndyCar Series.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for HMD Motorsports and an incredibly proud moment for everyone involved with our organization,” said HMD Motorsports President Mike Maurini. “We have worked hard to establish HMD as a leader in driver development, and to now be part of an Indianapolis 500 program alongside AJ Foyt Racing and Katherine Legge is something very special.

“Katherine brings a wealth of experience, AJ Foyt Racing brings unmatched history, and together we believe we have assembled a program that can make a strong impression throughout the Month of May.”

In 2023, she became the fastest woman to ever qualify for the race, posting an average speed of 231.07 mph. She remains one of the most accomplished female drivers in global motorsport—including being the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North America, the first to lead laps in Champ Car, and the first to lead the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The British driver enters the 2026 race following a 2025 campaign in NASCAR, where she became the first woman to qualify for a NASCAR Cup Series race since Danica Patrick’s 2012 debut, and the first woman in seven years to start a Cup race. Across 14 events spanning ARCA, the Xfinity Series (now O’Reilly), and the Cup Series, Legge recorded two top 20 finishes at the Cup level and the highest finishing position among rookie drivers in her debut race.

Sponsorship Activation At This Year’s Indy 500

The effort is getting strong backing from a cosmetics company with a message.

“Together with Katherine Legge, we’re fueling a movement for the next generation of dreamers. eyes.lips.fuel. isn't just a tagline - it's our commitment to every eye, lip and face watching who needs to see that they belong on that track, behind that wheel, and in any arena, they choose,” said Patrick O’Keefe, Chief Integrated Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty. “We are democratizing access to sports by showing our community exactly what's possible when someone believes in you and fuels your journey.”

The company plans full-scale activation at this year’s Indianapolis 500 by bringing eyes.lips.fuel. to Indy, showing up in a big way both on the track and in the Fan Zone at the largest single-day sporting event in the world.

Inspired by e.l.f.’s Glow Reviver Lip Oil Stick, the eyes.lips.fuel activation will be featured trackside at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The experience reimagines the garage — a space that has historically belonged to the men — and making it a space for every eye, lip, and face.

The activation includes:

A full-size replica of Legge’s race car, giving fans an up-close, in-person look at the machine she’ll drive on track.

A museum-style showcase of real artifacts from Legge’s career — from her first race suit to her helmet and earliest karting trophies — celebrating the milestones of a trailblazer in the making.

A “Kiss the Bricks” wall, allowing fans to participate in one of motorsport’s most iconic traditions and send Legge their well wishes.

A personalization station where fans can customize e.l.f. products and receive exclusive e.l.f. merchandise.

Legge was e.l.f.’s first empowered.legendary.female leading the way for a growing group of women athletes including Billie Jean King, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Ally Sentnor, Jaedyn Shaw, Jess Carter, Lo’eau LaBonta, and Flau'jae Johnson, all united by their shared commitment to positivity, inclusivity, and accessibility, and their refusal to let anyone tell them where they don't belong.

AJ Foyt Racing, one of the most iconic teams in the history of American motorsport, has played a defining role in shaping the sport across generations. The team continues to carry forward a legacy of grit and opportunity, fielding two full-time entries in the NTT IndyCar Series with veteran Santino Ferrucci and rookie Caio Collet—giving Legge two teammates to work alongside during “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”