INDYCAR: Dragon Racing Weighs In On Legge Situation

IndyCar

INDYCAR: Dragon Racing Weighs In On Legge Situation

A release from the Dragon Racing IndyCar team has offered its take on parting ways with driver Katherine Legge.

Marshall Pruett | Posted February 13, 2013

Dragon Racing owner Jay Penske, left, and Katherine Legge, right, will not be working together in 2013. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)

Hours after issuing a statement telling her side of the story, a release from the Dragon Racing IndyCar team has offered its take on parting ways with driver Katherine Legge.

“We are thankful for the contributions Katherine Legge has made during her time at Dragon Racing,” said Dragon Racing Executive Vice President Paul Woolnough. “But unfortunately our primary sponsor and Dragon Racing have decided it is best for the team to move in a different direction for the upcoming season. We wish Katherine the best in her future racing endeavors.”

TRUECAR CEO Scott Painter, whose company serves as the team’s primary sponsor and backed Legge through its ‘Women Empowered’ initiative, confirmed Woolnough’s assertion that a new driver was desired for 2013, yet did not elaborate on the official reason for seeking the change. Colombia’s Sebastian Saavedra was announced as Legge’s replacement on Tuesday.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed our association with Katherine, but after 12 months of collaboration, hard work, and TrueCar’s sincere efforts to resurrect Katherine’s open-wheel career, TrueCar has decided to pursue a different driver for 2013 IndyCar season,” he said.

An additional statement from the team spoke to the most pressing item at hand, the lawsuit mentioned by Legge.

“Both Dragon Racing and TRUECar have tried to amicably resolve this matter with Legge and her representatives to no avail—and aside of acknowledging the existence of the dispute, due to the confidential nature of the dispute, neither of the parties will be making any further public statements regarding this matter, but both TrueCar and Dragon Racing have ample confidence that they will undoubtedly prevail,” it read.

Despite the ongoing contretemps with Legge, team owner Jay Penske says the change of drivers with the Chevy-powered No. 6 car is in the best interest of all those involved with the program.

“We’ve had to make some difficult choices this offseason, based on the goal of winning races and doing what is best our partners, sponsors, and team,” he said. “And I adamantly believe with the experience of our crew, our engineers, drivers, and the tremendous support of our partners, we have a team in 2013 that can compete for the championship.”

Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. Now in his 27th year in the sport, Pruett was an open-wheel mechanic, engineer and manager before joining SPEED. He also contributes to RACER, Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him @MarshallPruett.