| Natalie Decker | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Decker atDaytona International Speedway in 2019 | |||||||
| Born | Natalie Marie Decker[1] (1997-06-25)June 25, 1997 (age 28) Eagle River, Wisconsin, U.S. | ||||||
| Achievements | Highest finishing female driver in theNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (5th,Daytona,2020) 2021Trans-Am Series SGT Class ProAm Challenge Champion | ||||||
| Awards | 2013ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year | ||||||
| NASCARO'Reilly Auto Parts Series career | |||||||
| 13 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| 2025 position | 65th | ||||||
| Best finish | 53rd (2021) | ||||||
| First race | 2021Super Start Batteries 188 (Daytona RC) | ||||||
| Last race | 2025Wawa 250 (Daytona) | ||||||
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| NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
| 32 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| 2022 position | 114th | ||||||
| Best finish | 19th (2019) | ||||||
| First race | 2019NextEra Energy 250 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 2020NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| |||||||
| ARCA Menards Series career | |||||||
| 31 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 7th (2018) | ||||||
| First race | 2017Menards 200 (Toledo) | ||||||
| Last race | 2023BRANDT 200 (Daytona) | ||||||
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| ARCA Menards Series East career | |||||||
| 1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
| Best finish | 47th (2019) | ||||||
| First race | 2019Zombie Auto 150 (Bristol) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Statistics up to date as of November 1, 2025. | |||||||
Natalie Marie Decker Lemke (born June 25, 1997) is an American professionalstock car racing driver. She last competed part-time in theNASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 92Chevrolet Camaro SS forDGM Racing withJesse Iwuji Motorsports. She was a 2015 NASCARDrive for Diversity participant and 2016Alan Kulwicki Driver Development competitor.[2][3] She is the cousin ofClaire Decker andPaige Decker who have also competed in NASCAR.
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 theARCA 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 atMadison International Speedway.[7] In 2014, she won seven limited late model features and two super late model features.[5] She was added to theRev Racing team in 2015 as she was named to the NASCARDrive for Diversity program.[8]
She was one of seven drivers to compete in the 2016Alan Kulwicki Driver Development program; she was awarded $7,777.[9] Decker joined her cousinsPaige Decker andClaire Decker in attempting to make the field for theAlpha Energy Solutions 250 atMartinsville Speedway on April 2, 2016.[2] Decker was 38th fastest in qualifying and herMAKE Motorsports entry did not make the field.[3]
In 2017, it was announced that she would drive in three ARCA races forVenturini Motorsports (Elko,Toledo, andPocono).[10] Decker made her ARCA debut atToledo 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 haveBrennan 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 partialTruck 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 atDaytona 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] AtKentucky Speedway in July, Decker was involved in an on-track incident withSpencer 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 withNiece Motorsports for the2020 season. On February 14, 2020, she finished fifth at Daytona, becoming the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history.[19] She missed thePocono 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 atLas 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 atTalladega Superspeedway, whereKaz Grala took the seat.[22]
On February 5, 2021, it was announced that Decker would make her debut in theNASCAR Xfinity Series in2021, driving the No. 23 forRSS Racing/Reaume Brothers Racing in at least five races beginning at theDaytona 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 afterOur Motorsports assumed operations.[24]
In 2022, she attempted the Daytona season-opener with the No. 33 forReaume Brothers Racing, but failed to qualify. However, she did qualify for the April Martinsville race, driving the No. 28RSS Racing Ford in a collaboration with RBR. She also failed to qualify for the spring race atTalladega driving the No. 13 forMBM Motorsports. Decker was also going to run the race at Daytona in August, driving the No. 5 forB. 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 byPatrick 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 forEmerling-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]
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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]
On January 30 and 31, 2018, Decker tested aLMP3 sports car atSebring International Raceway. The car was fielded by longtime Decker family friendTony 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 atSebring International Raceway.[31]
Decker was among the preliminary participants for the2019 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 herTrans-Am SGT class debut atRoad Atlanta with Ave Motorsports in November 2020, but was forced to miss the race after testing positive forCOVID-19.[33]
In 2021, Decker raced several times for Ave in theTrans-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 theCircuit of the Americas and won the SGT ProAm Challenge Title.[36]
Decker is the cousin of sistersPaige andClaire Decker (daughters of Allen Decker).[2] Her father is Chuck Decker, the former owner of the Eagle River Derby Track, which hosts theWorld 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, afactory rider forBombardier (and onetime teammate toJacques 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 ofDanica Patrick.[7] Sue Decker, Natalie's aunt, introduced Patrick's parents.[7]
On September 29, 2019, Decker revealed that she suffers fromrheumatoid arthritis, which she was first diagnosed with at the age of two.[39]
In December 2022, Decker got engaged to fellowNASCAR driverDerek Lemke (who would make his Truck Series debut forReaume 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]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| 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
(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 withFury 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] | ||||||||||||||||||
| 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] | |
