Natalie Decker is set to make her return to the NASCAR circuit with the upcoming race at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, August 22, driving the No. 92 Chevrolet for DGM Racing. This marks not only her return to the Xfinity Series but also her first NASCAR event since giving birth to her son, Levi, in February, highlighting the significance of the Natalie Decker NASCAR Daytona return.
Decker, a 28-year-old Wisconsin native, is no stranger to the racing community; her husband, Derek Lemke, has also participated in NASCAR events. The upcoming competition marks an important milestone as she becomes just the third mother to race at Daytona, joining a select group of courageous competitors like Shawna Robinson, Alli Owens, and Jessica Friesen. Decker’s participation next week emphasizes the ongoing evolution of family roles within motorsports at well-known venues such as Daytona International Speedway.
Decker’s Racing Background and Daytona Legacy
Since launching her stock car career in 2016, Decker has made her presence felt across major NASCAR series. Her experience includes 12 Xfinity Series starts, 32 races in the Truck Series, and 31 ARCA events. Among her most notable achievements at Daytona are a fifth-place finish in the 2020 Truck Series opener and a pole-starting, fifth-place result at the 2018 ARCA season’s launch. Earlier in 2024, she demonstrated her competitive drive by earning 18th place in the Xfinity season opener at Daytona’s famous 2.5-mile superspeedway.
With the No. 92 Chevrolet, Decker will once again join DGM Racing, a team also known for fielding Josh Bilicki in their primary entry. Her return not only brings experience but also continues the tradition of notable mothers racing in professional NASCAR competitions—a tradition shared with Shawna Robinson, whose career ran from 1991 through 2005, Alli Owens, who raced after her first child in 2016, and Jessica Friesen, who competed in the Truck Series after becoming a mom.
What Decker’s Return Means for NASCAR and Motorsports
As Natalie Decker prepares for her highly anticipated comeback at Daytona, her return is more than just another start. The race holds emotional weight, signifying her first track appearance since becoming a mother, a journey only a few other drivers like Owens and Friesen have navigated before. By entering the race, Decker exemplifies how a racing career can successfully coexist with motherhood, expanding the vision of what’s possible for women and mothers in motorsports.
Decker’s latest move is poised to inspire others, both on and off the track, showing that determination and passion can bridge the demands of family life and high-level competition. Her participation at Daytona underscores the continuing progress of diversity and resilience in NASCAR, potentially opening doors for more mothers and women drivers as the sport develops.
