aj is back in the Indianapolis 500 conversation after team officials announced on April 27 ET that Katherine Legge will drive an entry from HMD Motorsports, in partnership with AJ Foyt Racing, in the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Legge will pilot the No. 11 Chevrolet with primary sponsorship from e. l. f. Cosmetics, and she is the only female driver assigned to a car for this year’s race. The race is scheduled for Sunday, May 24 ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Legge set for another run at Indy
The announcement means Legge will attempt to make her first start at Indy since 2024 and her fifth career start in the event. The veteran driver from England has history at the Speedway, where her best finish came in 2012 when she placed 22nd in her rookie year. In 2023, she qualified 29th while setting two significant speed marks for female drivers in the race: the fastest one-lap qualifying speed at 231. 627 mph and the fastest four-lap average qualifying speed at 231. 070.
HMD Motorsports said the partnership with AJ Foyt Racing expands its presence in the Month of May, while the Foyt organization pointed to the growing strength of its collaboration with HMD on the INDY NXT side. The teams are now bringing that relationship into the Indianapolis 500, where the scale and pressure are unlike anything else on the calendar.
Team officials frame the entry as a major step
“We worked incredibly hard to be back at this year’s Indianapolis 500, and I don’t take a single moment of it for granted, ” Legge said. “I’m beyond grateful to e. l. f. Cosmetics for believing that women deserve to take up space in every arena – including this one. Together, we’re proving that when you invest in a woman’s dream, there’s no limit to what she can achieve. ”
Mike Maurini, president of HMD Motorsports, called the program “a tremendous opportunity” and said the organization is proud to be part of an Indianapolis 500 effort alongside AJ Foyt Racing and Katherine Legge. Larry Foyt, president of AJ Foyt Racing, said the team has already seen what the partnership can do through its INDY NXT work this season and said Legge is “a talented and determined racer. ”
Legge also described the return with clear emotion, saying it “honestly feels like Christmas” to be back at the 500 and noting that each return deepens her appreciation for the chance to compete. For aj, the significance is simple: the driver who has already built a notable record at the Speedway now gets another shot on one of motorsport’s biggest stages.
What happens next at the Speedway
Practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 begins Tuesday, May 12 ET on the 2. 5-mile oval. From there, the HMD Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing partnership will move into the critical May build-up, with Legge aiming to turn this aj-backed return into her next Indianapolis 500 start on Sunday, May 24 ET.
The entry adds another layer to an already high-stakes Month of May, and it gives Legge a clear path back into the field as the countdown to race day continues. For now, the focus shifts to practice, preparation, and whether this aj entry can convert the announcement into a clean run at Indianapolis.
