Natalie Decker Lemke

American racing driver (born 1997) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Natalie Decker Lemke

Natalie Marie Decker Lemke (born June 25, 1997) is an American racing driver. She last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the Nos. 36 and 92 Chevrolet Camaros for DGM Racing. 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.

Quick Facts Born, Achievements ...
Natalie Decker Lemke
Thumb
BornNatalie Marie Decker[1]
(1997-06-25) June 25, 1997 (age 27)
Eagle River, Wisconsin, U.S.
AchievementsHighest finishing female driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (5th, Daytona, 2020)
2021 Trans-Am Series SGT Class ProAm Challenge Champion
Awards2013 ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
12 races run over 4 years
2024 position56th
Best finish53rd (2021)
First race2021 Super Start Batteries 188 (Daytona RC)
Last race2024 United Rentals 300 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
32 races run over 2 years
Best finish19th (2019)
First race2019 NextEra Energy 250 (Daytona)
Last race2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
Statistics current as of May 10, 2024.
Close

Racing career

Summarize
Perspective
Thumb
Decker's 2010 4-cylinder car
Thumb
Decker celebrating after winning a 2012 super stock race at Marshfield Motor Speedway
Thumb
Decker's 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour truck at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway
Thumb
Decker signing autographs at an ARCA Midwest Tour race in 2014
Thumb
Decker celebrating after winning a 2015 late model race at Golden Sands Speedway
Thumb
Decker's 2016 ARCA Midwest Tour car
Thumb
Decker's 2017 ARCA Midwest Tour car

Local and regional racing

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

Thumb
Decker's 2017 ARCA car at Road America
Thumb
Decker (No. 25) racing Bret Holmes (No. 23) in the 2018 ARCA race at Michigan
Thumb
Decker beside her car on pit road before the ARCA race at Madison in 2018
Thumb
Decker in the 2019 Truck Series season-finale at Homestead

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 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

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

Summarize
Perspective

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 Lemke announced that she is expecting her first baby.[41]

Motorsports career results

Summarize
Perspective

NASCAR

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

Xfinity Series

More information NASCAR Xfinity Series results, Year ...
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 [42]
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 [43]
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 [44]
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
Wth
DOV DAR 56th 27 [45]
92 CLT
29
PIR SON IOW NHA NSH CSC POC IND MCH DAY DAR ATL GLN BRI KAN TAL ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO
Close

Camping World Truck Series

More information NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results, Year ...
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 - [46]
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 [47]
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 [48]
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 N/A 0 [49]
Close

K&N Pro Series East

More information NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results, Year ...
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 [50]
Close

ARCA Menards Series

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

More information ARCA Menards Series results, Year ...
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 [51]
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 [52]
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 [53]
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 [54]
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 [55]
Close

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.