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Natalie Decker
Natalie Decker
Natalie Decker
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Natalie Marie Decker Lemke (born June 25, 1997) is an American professional stock car racing driver. She competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 92 Chevrolet SS for DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports. She was a 2015 NASCAR Drive for Diversity participant and 2016 Alan Kulwicki Driver Development competitor.[2][3] She is the cousin of Claire Decker and Paige Decker who have also competed in NASCAR.

Key Information

Racing career

[edit]

Local and regional racing

[edit]

Decker won 4 karting championships in two years.[4] She began racing in 4-cylinder modified stock cars as a 12-year-old;[5] in 2011 she moved up to the Super Stock class and won the 2012 class championship at Marshfield Motor Speedway.[6][5] Decker began racing in the ARCA Midwest Tour and took the 2013 Rookie of the Year by finishing third in points.[7] She also took third that season in a three-race Midwest Truck Series at Madison International Speedway.[7] In 2014, she won seven limited late model features and two super late model features.[5] She was added to the Rev Racing team in 2015 as she was named to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.[8]

NASCAR and ARCA

[edit]

She was one of seven drivers to compete in the 2016 Alan Kulwicki Driver Development program; she was awarded $7,777.[9] Decker joined her cousins Paige Decker and Claire Decker in attempting to make the field for the Alpha Energy Solutions 250 at Martinsville Speedway on April 2, 2016.[2] Decker was 38th fastest in qualifying and her MAKE Motorsports entry did not make the field.[3]

In 2017, it was announced that she would drive in three ARCA races for Venturini Motorsports (Elko, Toledo, and Pocono).[10] Decker made her ARCA debut at Toledo Speedway. After spending much of the race in the Top 10, she finished eleventh on the lead lap.[11]

Venturini later announced that they had signed Decker to drive the full 2018 ARCA schedule.[12] Decker began the season by winning the pole at the season opening race at Daytona;[13] she would finish fifth in a crash-filled race.[14] Later on in the season she was injured via hernia, and was forced to start the race and have Brennan Poole jump in, in which he would finish the race in 8th. She finished the season 7th in point standings, which was last among drivers who competed in every race.

On November 30, 2018, DGR-Crosley announced plans for Decker to run a partial Truck Series schedule for the team in the 2019 season, along with some ARCA and K&N Pro Series events.[15][16]

Decker's Truck series debut at Daytona saw her No. 54 Toyota cut a left front tire and rupture an oil line, setting the truck on fire on the first lap.[17] At Kentucky Speedway in July, Decker was involved in an on-track incident with Spencer Boyd, eliminating both drivers from the race. Later, in the truck garage, Decker took Boyd’s hat off his head and slammed it on the ground before being verbally warned by a NASCAR official stating "that's enough". She was escorted away by her team.[18]

Decker signed with Niece Motorsports for the 2020 season. On February 14, 2020, she finished fifth at Daytona, becoming the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history.[19] She missed the Pocono race after being hospitalized for bile duct complications related to her gall bladder surgery in December 2019.[20] On September 25, Decker was not medically cleared to race at Las Vegas after experiencing a high heart rate and high blood pressure; because her truck had cleared inspection and was placed on the starting grid, she was credited with a last-place finish in the race.[21] Decker later pinpointed high blood pressure as the cause for fatigue, but with a deeper cause undetermined, she also missed the following race at Talladega Superspeedway, where Kaz Grala took the seat.[22]

On February 5, 2021, it was announced that Decker would make her debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021, driving the No. 23 for RSS Racing/Reaume Brothers Racing in at least five races beginning at the Daytona Road Course with sponsorship from Red Street Records, who will highlight the musicians they work with on the car, Jason Crabb being one of them.[23] She remained in the No. 23 after Our Motorsports assumed operations.[24]

In 2022, she attempted the Daytona season-opener with the No. 33 for Reaume Brothers Racing, but failed to qualify. However, she did qualify for the April Martinsville race, driving the No. 28 RSS Racing Ford in a collaboration with RBR. She also failed to qualify for the spring race at Talladega driving the No. 13 for MBM Motorsports. Decker was also going to run the race at Daytona in August, driving the No. 5 for B. J. McLeod Motorsports. However, her sponsor, Diesel Beverages, was not approved in time for the race. Diesel Beverages is a hemp/CBD product, which NASCAR had to examine to determine if it would be approved as a sponsor. She would be replaced in the car by Patrick Emerling. Decker stated that she hoped to run a different race later in the season if the sponsor is approved.[25]

On February 8, 2023, it was announced that Decker would drive part-time for Emerling-Gase Motorsports in the Xfinity Series and the ARCA Menards Series in their No. 53 car in both series. It would be her first ARCA start since 2020 as well as EGM's first time fielding an entry in ARCA.[26]

On February 7, 2024, DGM Racing announced that Decker would drive their No. 36 car in the Xfinity Series season-opener at Daytona.[27] Decker was also going to drive the same car at Talladega in April, but like at Daytona in August 2022, had a sponsor that was not approved by NASCAR. As a result, DGM withdrew the No. 36 car, and she did not get to run that race.[28] She would make another start for the team at Charlotte in May in their No. 92 car.[29]

Other racing

[edit]

On January 30 and 31, 2018, Decker tested a LMP3 sports car at Sebring International Raceway. The car was fielded by longtime Decker family friend Tony Ave.[30] Ave wanted her to drive his car after he was impressed by her performance in the 2017 Road America ARCA race, where she finished 7th, which was her best finish of the season. In 2019, Decker is scheduled to race in five events for Ave's Trans Am team. She finished ninth in his TA car at Sebring International Raceway.[31]

Decker was among the preliminary participants for the 2019 W Series. After making the initial cut from 55 drivers to 28, she did not survive the next round of cuts.[32] Decker was scheduled to make her Trans-Am SGT class debut at Road Atlanta with Ave Motorsports in November 2020, but was forced to miss the race after testing positive for COVID-19.[33]

In 2021, Decker raced several times for Ave in the Trans-Am Series. She took the SGT pole position in March at the Charlotte Roval and finished second in the race.[34] She also finished second at Watkins Glen.[35] She won the race at the Circuit of the Americas and won the SGT ProAm Challenge Title.[36]

Personal life

[edit]

Decker is the cousin of sisters Paige and Claire Decker (daughters of Allen Decker).[2] Her father is Chuck Decker, the former owner of the Eagle River Derby Track, which hosts the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. The Track was sold in August 2018 and is now called the World Championship Derby Complex.[37]

The Decker family was prominent in snowmobile racing in the 1970s and 1980s;[7] four Decker brothers raced snowmobiles including Allen Decker, a factory rider for Bombardier (and onetime teammate to Jacques Villeneuve), and Natalie's father Chuck, who won the 1987 World Championship Derby race at Eagle River.[38][7] The Deckers also raced snowmobiles alongside the family of Danica Patrick.[7] Sue Decker, Natalie's aunt, introduced Patrick's parents.[7]

On September 29, 2019, Decker revealed that she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which she was first diagnosed with at the age of two.[39]

In December 2022, Decker got engaged to fellow NASCAR driver Derek Lemke (who would make his Truck Series debut for Reaume Brothers Racing in 2023).[40] Decker and Lemke got married on New Year's Eve in 2023.

On August 14, 2024, Decker announced that she was expecting her first child.[41] In February 2025, Decker gave birth to her first child, a son named Levi. She later stated that she had experienced complications during the delivery. Approximately six months after giving birth, she competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway.[42]

Motorsports career results

[edit]

NASCAR

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

[edit]
NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2021 RSS Racing with Reaume Brothers Racing 23 Chevy DAY DAY
40 		HOM LVS PHO ATL MAR 53rd 42 [43]
Our Motorsports TAL
24 		DAR DOV COA CLT MOH TEX NSH
26 		POC ROA
32 		ATL NHA GLN IND MCH DAY DAR RCH BRI LVS TAL CLT TEX KAN MAR
25 		PHO
2022 Reaume Brothers Racing 33 Toyota DAY
DNQ 		CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH 63rd 17 [44]
RSS Racing 28 Ford MAR
35
MBM Motorsports 13 Ford TAL
DNQ 		DOV DAR TEX CLT PIR ATL
27 		NHA POC IND MCH GLN DAY DAR KAN BRI TEX TAL CLT LVS HOM MAR PHO
66 Toyota NSH
32 		ROA
2023 SS-Green Light Racing 08 Chevy DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH MAR TAL DOV DAR CLT
34 		PIR SON NSH CSC ATL NHA POC ROA MCH IRC GLN 64th 5 [45]
Emerling-Gase Motorsports 53 Ford DAY
35 		DAR KAN BRI TEX ROV LVS
SS-Green Light Racing 07 Chevy HOM
DNQ 		MAR PHO
2024 DGM Racing 36 Chevy DAY
18 		ATL LVS PHO COA RCH MAR TEX TAL DOV DAR 56th 27 [46]
92 CLT
29 		PIR SON IOW NHA NSH CSC POC IND MCH DAY DAR ATL GLN BRI KAN TAL ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO
2025 DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports DAY ATL COA PHO LVS HOM MAR DAR BRI CAR TAL TEX CLT NSH MXC POC ATL CSC SON DOV IND IOW GLN DAY
22 		PIR GTW BRI KAN ROV LVS TAL MAR PHO -* -* [47]

Camping World Truck Series

[edit]
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCWTC Pts Ref
2016 MAKE Motorsports 14 Chevy DAY ATL MAR
DNQ 		KAN DOV CLT TEX IOW GTW KEN ELD POC BRI MCH MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 118th - [48]
2019 DGR-Crosley 54 Toyota DAY
32 		ATL
24 		LVS
13 		MAR TEX DOV
17 		KAN
25 		CLT
31 		TEX
22 		IOW
17 		GTW
27 		CHI
14 		KEN
27 		POC
16 		ELD MCH
27 		BRI
25 		MSP LVS
25 		TAL
16 		MAR
22 		PHO
22 		HOM
20 		19th 281 [49]
2020 Niece Motorsports 44 Chevy DAY
5 		LVS
21 		CLT
27 		ATL HOM POC KEN
29 		TEX
35 		KAN
21 		KAN
35 		MCH DAY
20 		DOV GTW
28 		DAR RCH
34 		BRI
29 		LVS
36 		TAL KAN TEX
30 		MAR
27 		PHO 33rd 153 [50]
2022 Reaume Brothers Racing 43 Toyota DAY LVS ATL COA MAR BRI DAR KAN TEX CLT GTW SON KNX NSH MOH POC IRP RCH KAN BRI TAL
DNQ 		HOM PHO 114th 0 [51]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Menards Series

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2017 Venturini Motorsports 25 Toyota DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL
11 		ELK
13 		POC
27 		MCH MAD IOW IRP POC
10 		WIN ISF ROA
7 		DSF SLM CHI KAN
12 		23rd 1150 [52]
55 KEN
12
2018 25 DAY
5 		NSH
11 		SLM
17 		TAL
28 		TOL
7 		CLT
15 		POC
8 		MCH
15 		MAD
6 		GTW
15 		CHI
12 		IOW
16 		ELK
5 		POC
15 		ISF
10 		BLN
10 		DSF
12 		SLM
8 		IRP
16 		KAN
6 		7th 4220 [53]
2019 DGR-Crosley 54 Toyota DAY
6 		FIF SLM TAL
23 		NSH TOL CLT POC MCH MAD GTW CHI ELK IOW POC ISF DSF SLM IRP KAN 56th 315 [54]
2020 Ken Schrader Racing with Fury Race Cars 52 Ford DAY
26 		PHO TAL POC IRP KEN IOW KAN TOL TOL MCH DAY GTW L44 TOL BRI WIN MEM ISF KAN 86th 18 [55]
2023 Emerling-Gase Motorsports 53 Ford DAY
14 		PHO TAL KAN CLT BLN ELK MOH IOW POC MCH IRP GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 92nd 30 [56]

K&N Pro Series East

[edit]
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2019 DGR-Crosley 98 Toyota NSM BRI
19 		SBO SBO MEM NHA IOW GLN BRI GTW NHA DOV 47th 25 [57]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Natalie Decker

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
''Natalie Decker'' is an American professional stock car racing driver known for her participation in NASCAR's national touring series and the ARCA Menards Series. Decker has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, making her Truck Series debut in 2019 and continuing to pursue opportunities in NASCAR despite challenges in securing consistent rides. She has driven for teams such as DGR-Crosley and Niece Motorsports, among others, and has been recognized as one of the few women competing at the national level in stock car racing. Her career has also included success in the ARCA Menards Series, where she earned pole positions and top finishes early in her national career. Born in Eagle River, Wisconsin, Decker began racing at a young age in local and regional events, progressing to national competition with a focus on building her career in motorsports. She remains active in the sport, advocating for greater representation of women in racing while managing personal life milestones.

Early life

Birth and family background

Natalie Decker was born on June 25, 1997, in Eagle River, Wisconsin. She grew up in a family deeply rooted in motorsports, particularly snowmobile racing, which shaped her early environment in the small northern Wisconsin community known for its winter racing traditions. Her father, Chuck Decker, was a prominent figure in snowmobile racing as a competitor and track owner. Chuck Decker won the 1987 World Championship Derby at Eagle River and owned the World Championship Snowmobile Derby Racetrack in the same town. The Decker family's racing involvement dates back to 1967 through Decker Racing, founded by Chuck Decker and his three brothers , with their parents Dick and Audrey Decker also active in the sport across five decades of competition and business ventures including a dealership and race shop. Decker is the cousin of fellow NASCAR drivers Paige Decker and Claire Decker, who are sisters and also hail from Eagle River. The three competed together in early snowmobile racing as part of the family team and later pursued stock car opportunities.

Introduction to motorsports

Natalie Decker's introduction to motorsports was influenced by her family's background in snowmobile racing, which provided early exposure to competitive driving. She began her racing career in go-karts and won four championships in two years at tracks around her native Wisconsin. At age 12, Decker progressed to competing in 4-cylinder modified stock cars. She moved into super stocks in 2011 and won the 2012 Super Stock class championship at Marshfield Motor Speedway. In 2013, Decker earned Rookie of the Year honors in the Midwest Tour Truck series. That same year, she also participated in limited late model and super late model events. In 2015, Decker was selected as a participant in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program through Rev Racing. The following year, she became one of seven drivers in the 2016 Alan Kulwicki Driver Development program and received a $7,777 stipend to support operational expenses.

Childhood health challenges

Natalie Decker was born with rheumatoid arthritis and received her diagnosis at the age of two. In her early years, she faced significant symptoms including issues with her jaw and other joints, arms that remained locked at a 45-degree angle for some time before fully straightening, and persistently swollen knees. To manage the condition during childhood, Decker underwent weekly treatments with a high dosage of a chemotherapy drug for more than ten years. These treatments caused ongoing side effects such as extreme fatigue, headaches, and constant feelings of sickness and nausea. Despite these challenges, Decker actively participated in sports and activities including dance, hockey, soccer, and go-kart racing starting at age nine. Her pediatrician expressed disbelief at her capabilities, remarking that her level of physical involvement should have been impossible given her condition. By around age twelve, she achieved remission and discontinued the medication.

Racing career

Karting and early stock car racing

Natalie Decker began her racing career in go-karts at age 9 after her father surprised her with an oval asphalt go-kart for her birthday, having grown up in a racing family where her father was a 1987 snowmobile world champion and her family owned the World Championship Snowmobile Derby track in Eagle River, Wisconsin. She won four track championships in go-karts around her native Wisconsin before transitioning to full-sized stock cars. At age 12, Decker started racing four-cylinder modified stock cars at tracks like Golden Sands Speedway, competing against much older drivers while gaining experience on both paved and dirt surfaces. In 2012, she won the Super Stock class championship at Marshfield Motor Speedway as part of her progression through regional stock car divisions. In 2013, Decker competed in the ARCA Midwest Tour, earning Rookie of the Year honors and finishing third in the final points standings. She was also selected for the NASCAR Rev Racing Drive for Diversity combine in 2013 and 2014 as her regional success drew attention. In 2015, Decker participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program with Rev Racing, competing against top short-track talent while continuing her family-operated Super Late Model efforts in Wisconsin and Florida. The following year, she was named a competitor in the Alan Kulwicki Driver Development Program, supporting her continued growth in Midwest late model and touring series racing.

ARCA Menards Series

Natalie Decker competed in the ARCA Menards Series over five seasons, accumulating 31 starts. Her most notable campaign was in 2018, when she ran the full schedule with Venturini Motorsports and achieved a career-best 7th-place finish in the points standings. That season included strong performances such as securing the pole position at Daytona International Speedway and finishing 5th in the race, which marked her best career result in the series. Across her ARCA Menards Series tenure, Decker recorded 12 top-10 finishes. She also made one start in the companion ARCA Menards Series East in 2019. Prior to her national ARCA efforts, Decker gained experience in regional stock car competition through the ARCA Midwest Tour.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Natalie Decker entered the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2019 following her ARCA Menards Series experience, competing primarily with DGR-Crosley that season before moving to Niece Motorsports in 2020. Her Trucks participation was limited to these two seasons due to health challenges and sponsorship difficulties, making 26 starts total. Her best season points finish was 19th in 2019. Her standout performance came at Daytona International Speedway in February 2020, where she drove the No. 44 Chevrolet to a fifth-place result in the NextEra Energy 250—the highest finish ever recorded by a female driver in the series as of her career. Decker started 30th in the 32-truck field and survived late-race chaos during a green-white-checkered finish to secure her first top-five and top-10 finishes in the series. Her series debut at Daytona in 2019 proved challenging, ending on the opening lap due to a tire failure that triggered a crash and caused her truck to catch fire. Later that season at Kentucky Speedway, Decker was involved in an on-track incident with Spencer Boyd that led to a heated post-race confrontation; during the exchange, she grabbed Boyd's hat off his head and threw it to the ground before walking away. Decker's 2020 campaign was impacted by health setbacks that forced her to miss multiple races. In June, she was hospitalized for bile duct complications related to her gallbladder, requiring her to sit out events including the Pocono race. In October, she faced additional clearance issues stemming from elevated heart rate and high blood pressure, preventing her from competing in races such as the one at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Natalie Decker has made 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (updated with verified count including recent activity), competing part-time in the category. Her participation has spanned multiple teams and car numbers, with no wins, top-10 finishes, or pole positions recorded during her tenure. Decker's best championship result came in 2021, when she concluded the season 53rd in points. Her efforts in the series have primarily involved superspeedway and other track types, though she has not secured any top finishes. Following her prior experience in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Decker transitioned to occasional Xfinity Series competition. Decker's most recent start occurred in the 2025 Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway, where she piloted the No. 92 Chevrolet for DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports. This appearance marked her first Xfinity outing of 2025 and continued her part-time involvement in the series.

Trans-Am Series and other competitions

Natalie Decker has competed part-time in the Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli with Ave Motorsports, primarily in the SGT class driving an Audi R8. In 2021, she won the SGT ProAm Challenge title, capping a successful season in the category. At Circuit of the Americas in November 2021, Decker secured her first win in the SGT National class by finishing 10th overall in the No. 29 NI29 Technologies Audi R8, taking SGT National honors while coming from behind to claim the SGT ProAm Challenge title at the event. She earned multiple podiums in the series, including a pole position and second-place finish at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in 2021. In 2020, Decker was scheduled to make her National SGT class debut in the Trans-Am doubleheader at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta but missed the event after testing positive for COVID-19. Beyond the Trans-Am Series, Decker participated in the 2019 W Series selection as a preliminary candidate but did not advance to the racing grid.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Natalie Decker became engaged to fellow NASCAR driver Derek Lemke in December 2022. The couple married on December 31, 2023. On August 14, 2024, Decker announced that she was pregnant with their first child. In February 2025, she gave birth to their son Levi Lemke, with the delivery involving complications that made it both beautiful and challenging.

Health management and recovery

Decker has continued to manage rheumatoid arthritis, a condition she has dealt with since childhood, while navigating additional health challenges during her adult racing career. In 2020, Decker experienced multiple setbacks that forced her to miss races and prioritize recovery. Following gallbladder removal surgery in December 2019, she was hospitalized in June 2020 for bile duct complications, missing the NASCAR Truck Series event at Pocono Raceway. She returned to competition two weeks later at Kentucky Speedway after a brief hospital stay that included isolation until a negative COVID-19 test. In September 2020, she was not medically cleared for the Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On October 7, 2020, she presented at the infield care center with high heart rate and high blood pressure, though she resumed Truck Series competition later that month at Texas Motor Speedway. On November 18, 2020, Decker tested positive for COVID-19, causing her to miss her planned Trans-Am debut at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. She characterized 2020 as a "roller coaster with many setbacks" and focused on getting healthy. She described the delivery as really difficult but also incredible, calling it the biggest adrenaline rush of her life. Cleared for exercise six weeks postpartum, she felt ready to return to racing soon after and maintained that the plan was always to get back in the driver's seat. Approximately six months after giving birth, Decker returned to NASCAR competition in the Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway in August 2025, driving the No. 92 Chevrolet for DGM Racing.

Media appearances

NASCAR television broadcasts

Natalie Decker has appeared as herself in NASCAR-related television broadcasts, primarily through interviews and features tied to her racing activities. In 2018, she was credited as Self in one episode of the TV series Focused. From 2019 to 2021, Decker appeared as Self in 35 episodes of NASCAR on Fox, reflecting extensive media coverage during her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaigns. These appearances often coincided with her participation in races broadcast on the network.

Documentary and reality programming

Natalie Decker has appeared in documentary and reality programming that highlights her experiences as a female racer in a male-dominated sport while showcasing the challenges and triumphs of women athletes more broadly. In 2023, she starred as herself in the six-part docuseries Breakthrough: Women Changing the Game, appearing in all six episodes. Created and directed by Mike Basone and produced by NEO Studios for Insight TV, the series premiered on March 6, 2023, and follows four female athletes—Decker in NASCAR, Hollie Doyle in horse racing, Emily Linscott in Formula 4, and Leilani Caamal in American football—through pivotal seasons with behind-the-scenes access to their training, competition, resilience against gender discrimination, and personal adversities. That same year, Decker hosted the TV special Fan Controlled Racing Watch Party, appearing as herself in the host role.

Achievements and recognition

Championships and awards

Natalie Decker has earned several notable recognitions and titles in her racing career, particularly in developmental programs and regional series. Early in her career, she won four track championships in go-kart racing around her native Wisconsin. In 2013, Decker was named Rookie of the Year in the ARCA Midwest Tour. She participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in 2015. In 2016, Decker was one of seven drivers selected for the Alan Kulwicki Driver Development Program, receiving a $7,777 award to support her operational expenses as part of the program's stipend. Decker later secured a major title in road course racing by winning the 2021 Trans-Am SGT ProAm Challenge championship.

Records and milestones

Natalie Decker set several notable milestones as a female competitor in stock car racing, particularly at Daytona International Speedway. In February 2018, she won the pole position for the ARCA Racing Series season-opening Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire, turning a qualifying lap of 181.859 mph in the No. 25 N29 Capital Partners Toyota fielded by Venturini Motorsports. This made her the fourth female driver in history to claim a pole at Daytona across various series. She went on to finish fifth in the race, holding her own through multiple incidents and recording her first top-five result in the ARCA Series. Decker achieved another historic mark in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series two years later. During the 2020 NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona, she drove the No. 44 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports from a 30th starting position to a fifth-place finish after avoiding several major accidents and advancing in the closing laps under green-white-checkered conditions. This result stood as the highest finish ever by a female driver in Truck Series history, surpassing the prior benchmark of sixth place. It represented her first top-five and top-10 finishes in the series.

References

  1. https://www.foxsports.com/nascar/natalie-decker-driver-bio
  2. https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/natalie-decker
  3. https://wearemotordriven.com/rides-and-drives/behind-the-wheel/behind-the-wheel-with-natalie-decker/
  4. https://nataliedeckerinc.com/2023/09/12/racing-is-all-in-the-family-with-natalie-decker/
  5. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2016/04/02/decker-sisters-qualify-for-truck-race-at-martinsville/
  6. https://revracing.net/getting-to-know-paige-decker/
  7. https://www.hotrod.com/news/learning-curve-natalie-decker
  8. https://www.threewide.de/2020/07/12/women-in-racing-natalie-decker/?lang=en
  9. https://starsnationaltour.com/majeski-decker-panitzke-and-shafer-add-their-names-to-the-list-of-2016-arca-midwest-touring-stars/
  10. https://nataliedeckerinc.com/about-us/
  11. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/alan-kulwicki-driver-development-roster-selected-for-2016-season
  12. https://www.arthritis.org/news/natalie-decker-nascar-driver
  13. https://www.steponeautomotive.com/blog/step-one-motorsports-welcomes-natalie-decker
  14. https://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12243182/kenzie-ruston-natalie-decker-get-boost-diversity-program
  15. https://www.shorttrackscene.com/hot-topics/2016-kulwicki-driver-development-program-lineup-announced/
  16. https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/deckena01/
  17. https://www.rotowire.com/racing/player/natalie-decker-865
  18. https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results?series=A&year=2018&raceId=2018-01
  19. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2020/02/15/natalie-decker-notches-highest-ever-finish-for-woman-in-truck-series/
  20. https://motorsportstats.com/driver/natalie-decker/summary/series/nascar-craftsman-truck-series
  21. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2019/07/11/hats-off-decker-boyd-exchange-words-after-kentucky-wreck/
  22. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/natalie-decker-missing-pocono-truck-race-hospitalization-nascar
  23. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/natalie-decker-details-why-she-has-yet-to-be-cleared-to-race
  24. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_nxs/driver_avg.php?drv_id=4215
  25. https://www.jayski.com/2025/08/15/natalie-decker-making-first-xfinity-start-in-2025-at-daytona/
  26. https://gotransam.com/news/Natalie-Decker-Returns-to-COTA-in-The-Trans-Am-Series-Presented-by-Pirelli/71708
  27. https://gotransam.com/news/Brabham-Captures-Trans-Am-TA-Thriller-with-Last-Lap-Pass-at-CoTA/71731
  28. https://nataliedeckerinc.com/2021/11/08/natalie-decker-takes-home-the-win-at-circuit-of-the-americas-in-trans-am/
  29. https://gotransam.com/news/Natalie-Decker-2021-Trans-Am-Pro-Am-Champion-Returns-With-Partner-PlantFuel-at-Charlotte-/71888
  30. https://www.jayski.com/2020/11/19/natalie-decker-tests-positive-for-covid-19-will-miss-trans-am-race-this-weekend/
  31. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/natalie-decker-covid-19-positive-nascar-truck-series
  32. https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/news-nascar-part-time-driver-natalie-decker-reveals-exciting-personal-update-husband-derek-lemke
  33. https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-female-nascar-driver-confesses-to-struggling-mentally-as-pregnancy-takes-a-toll-on-her-body/
  34. https://thesportsrush.com/nascar-news-having-your-baby-taken-away-from-you-natalie-decker-reveals-painful-ordeal-after-complications-in-birth-of-child/
  35. https://frontstretch.com/2020/09/22/natalie-decker-details-hospital-stay-sets-sights-on-breaking-her-own-record/
  36. https://www.wsaw.com/2025/08/16/natalie-decker-returning-track-just-six-months-post-partum/
  37. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9966481/
  38. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt25964902/fullcredits
  39. https://newsroom.insight.tv/new-series-breakthrough-women-changing-the-game
  40. https://www.victoryrdstudios.com/projects-3/breakthrough%3A-women-changing-the-game
  41. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37995909/
  42. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2018/02/09/female-driver-wins-pole-lucas-oil-200-daytona-speedway-natalie-decker/325231002/
  43. https://www.arcaracing.com/2019/02/01/natalie-decker-wants-to-repeat-and-improve-at-daytona/
  44. https://frontstretch.com/2020/02/14/natalie-decker-earns-best-finish-for-female-in-truck-series-history-at-daytona/
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