NASCAR announcer makes controversial comment on female driver on live mic

Former NASCAR star Jamie McMurray has found himself in hot water after being inadvertently caught on a live mic discussing driver Katherine Legge.

Legge is a veteran of open wheel and sports car racing, and made her Cup Series debut earlier this season on short notice, having only raced one Xfinity Series race since 2018.

That Cup Series debut ended in a final stage wreck, prompting questions over whether a driver with such little stock car experience should've been parachuted into a seat, and the British driver returned to the Xfinity Series this weekend in Rockingham.

After failing to qualify, Legge came to an agreement with Joey Gase Motorsports to replace JJ Yeley in the #53 car, as he had qualified it for the race. After running at the back of the field for most of the first stage, she was hit from behind by William Sawalich as he came through to lap her, wrecking out again.

McMurray: Legge bought her way in

Caught on mic on the CW broadcast, McMurray was heard telling his fellow announcers: "She bought her way in."

Adam Alexander quickly got the broadcast back on track, before Parker Kligerman gave a more sympathetic view of the situation.

"She's been put in a really tough position here being in this car," he said. "After obviously not practicing in this car. Jumping in it for the race. Obviously a lot of sponsorship behind her there that wanted to be in this race after they missed it.

"And it's just an unfamiliar race car already trying to learn the Xfinity Series at a really tough race track. And to be put in this position with the leaders trying to go by – really unfortunate."

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