Natalie Decker Bio
Natalie Marie Decker Lemke (born June 25, 1997) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Eagle River, Wisconsin. She has competed across several NASCAR national series, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, building a reputation as one of the most visible female drivers in American stock car racing. In 2020, she became the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history with a fifth-place run at Daytona International Speedway.
Decker comes from a family with deep roots in motorsports, and she began racing at a young age in her home state of Wisconsin. She has balanced her racing career with personal milestones, including her marriage to fellow driver Derek Lemke and the birth of her first child. She continues to be recognized for her role in broadening opportunities for women in NASCAR.
Early Life and Background
Natalie Marie Decker was born on June 25, 1997, in Eagle River, Wisconsin. She is the daughter of Chuck Decker, the former owner of the Eagle River Derby Track, the facility that hosts the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. The Decker family was prominent in snowmobile racing during the 1970s and 1980s, with Natalie’s father Chuck winning the 1987 World Championship Derby race at Eagle River.
Growing up around the family track gave Natalie early exposure to high-level competition. In September 2019, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of two, a condition she has continued to manage throughout her racing career. She is the cousin of sisters Paige Decker and Claire Decker, both of whom have also competed in NASCAR events.
Path to NASCAR
Decker began her racing career in karting, winning four karting championships in two years. As a 12-year-old, she moved into 4-cylinder modified stock cars, and in 2011 she advanced to the Super Stock class. In 2012, she won the Super Stock class championship at Marshfield Motor Speedway. She also competed in the ARCA Midwest Tour, where she was named the 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year.
In 2014, Decker won seven limited late model features and two super late model features, drawing wider attention within the industry. She was selected for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in 2015, joining the Rev Racing team. The following year, she was one of seven drivers chosen for the Alan Kulwicki Driver Development program, earning a $7,777 award. These experiences helped position her for a transition into the national NASCAR ladder series.
Natalie Decker Career
Early Career (2014-2016)
Decker’s early career featured a rapid climb through the short-track ranks of Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. Her 2014 season, with nine feature wins across limited late model and super late model events, marked her as a rising talent. Her selection to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in 2015 gave her access to professional-level coaching and resources through Rev Racing.
In 2016, Decker attempted to make her national NASCAR debut at Martinsville Speedway in the Alpha Energy Solutions 250 with MAKE Motorsports, alongside cousins Paige and Claire Decker. Although she did not qualify, her participation in the Alan Kulwicki Driver Development program that same year signaled her growing reputation. These developmental years laid the foundation for her later move into the ARCA Menards Series.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2017-2020)
Decker made her ARCA Menards Series debut in 2017 at Toledo Speedway with Venturini Motorsports, finishing eleventh on the lead lap after running inside the top ten for much of the race. Venturini later signed her for the full 2018 ARCA schedule, where she opened the season by winning the pole at Daytona International Speedway and finishing fifth in a crash-filled race. She ended the year seventh in the final standings, the highest among drivers who competed in every event.
She continued to gain experience across the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, posting consistent top-ten finishes. By the end of her ARCA career, she had recorded twelve top-ten finishes and one pole. Her ARCA work established her as a reliable development prospect ready for the next step in NASCAR’s national series.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2019-2022)
On November 30, 2018, DGR-Crosley announced that Decker would run a partial Truck Series schedule in 2019, along with additional ARCA and K&N Pro Series events. Her Truck Series debut at Daytona in 2019 ended on the first lap after a left front tire failure ruptured an oil line and set her No. 54 Toyota on fire. She continued to gain experience throughout the season, finishing nineteenth in the final Truck Series standings that year.
Decker signed with Niece Motorsports for the 2020 Truck Series season. On February 14, 2020, she finished fifth at Daytona, becoming the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history. The season was also marked by health challenges, including a hospitalization for bile duct complications and a missed race at Las Vegas due to elevated heart rate and blood pressure. She continued to compete selectively in the Truck Series in subsequent seasons, recording at least one top-ten finish across her Truck Series career.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2021-Present)
On February 5, 2021, it was announced that Decker would make her NASCAR Xfinity Series debut that season, driving the No. 23 for RSS Racing and Reaume Brothers Racing beginning at the Daytona Road Course, with sponsorship from Red Street Records. She continued with the No. 23 after Our Motorsports assumed team operations, gaining valuable road course and intermediate track experience.
In 2022, Decker attempted the Daytona season-opener with the No. 33 for Reaume Brothers Racing but failed to qualify. She later qualified for the April Martinsville race in a collaboration between RSS Racing and RBR. In 2023, she drove part-time for Emerling-Gase Motorsports in both the Xfinity Series and the ARCA Menards Series. On February 7, 2024, DGM Racing announced that Decker would drive their No. 36 car in the Xfinity Series season-opener at Daytona, and she made another start later that year in the No. 92 for DGM Racing at Charlotte. She has continued to compete part-time in the Xfinity Series, most recently with DGM Racing x Jesse Iwuji Motorsports in the No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro SS.
DGM Racing x JIM Era (2024-Present)
Decker joined DGM Racing in 2024, beginning with the No. 36 entry at the Daytona Xfinity Series opener. After a planned Talladega start fell through when a sponsor was not approved, she shifted to the team’s No. 92 car for a start at Charlotte in May. The collaboration with DGM Racing and Jesse Iwuji Motorsports has provided a stable platform for her part-time Xfinity efforts.
Through the DGM Racing x JIM partnership, Decker has continued to race the No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro SS. The arrangement has allowed her to balance her racing schedule with family life following the birth of her son. Her ongoing presence in the Xfinity Series reinforces her commitment to competing at NASCAR’s national level.
Driving Style and Strengths
Decker has shown strength on superspeedways, where drafting and pack racing suit her aggressive approach. She has posted strong qualifying efforts, including a pole at Daytona in her 2018 ARCA opener, suggesting strong single-car speed on flatter tracks. Her ability to manage physical challenges, including rheumatoid arthritis, has highlighted her toughness and consistency behind the wheel.
Notable Races and Milestones
Decker’s fifth-place finish in the 2020 Truck Series race at Daytona stands as her most celebrated result, making her the highest-finishing female driver in Truck Series history. Her pole-winning ARCA debut season at Daytona in 2018 and her Xfinity Series debut at the Daytona Road Course in 2021 are also signature moments. Outside NASCAR, her SGT ProAm Challenge title in the 2021 Trans-Am Series added a major road racing trophy to her resume.
Natalie Decker Career Wins
Although Decker has notched zero wins across her NASCAR national series appearances, her career has been defined by record-setting milestones and consistent top-ten finishes. She holds the mark as the highest-finishing female driver in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history. She has also captured a major road racing title outside of NASCAR’s national ranks.
NASCAR Highlights
Across the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR Xfinity Series, Decker has not recorded a victory, but she has delivered notable results. Her 2020 Daytona fifth-place run in the Truck Series is the headline result, and she has added top-ten Truck Series finishes across multiple seasons. Her best Xfinity Series finish to date is 53rd in the 2021 standings.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of NASCAR, Decker won the 2021 Trans-Am Series SGT Class ProAm Challenge championship, with highlights including a pole and runner-up finish at the Charlotte Roval and a runner-up result at Watkins Glen. Earlier in her career, she captured the 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year award and won karting and short-track championships in Wisconsin. She also recorded twelve top-ten finishes and one pole in the ARCA Menards Series.
Natalie Decker Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Decker comes from a family with deep motorsports roots. Her father, Chuck Decker, is the former owner of the Eagle River Derby Track and a former World Championship Snowmobile Derby winner in 1987. The Decker family was prominent in snowmobile racing during the 1970s and 1980s, and four Decker brothers raced snowmobiles, including Allen Decker, a factory rider for Bombardier. Natalie is also the cousin of Paige Decker and Claire Decker, daughters of Allen Decker, both of whom have competed in NASCAR.
Personal Life
Decker got engaged to fellow NASCAR driver Derek Lemke in December 2022. The couple married on New Year’s Eve in 2023. In August 2024, Decker announced that she was expecting her first child, and in February 2025 she gave birth to a son named Levi, though she later shared that she experienced complications during the delivery. Approximately six months after giving birth, she returned to competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway. She was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of two.
2025 Season Performance
Natalie Decker has continued to compete part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series during the 2025 season, driving the No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro SS for DGM Racing x Jesse Iwuji Motorsports. Her 2025 schedule has been shaped by the recent birth of her son Levi, with a return to the track at Daytona approximately six months after delivery marking an important personal milestone. She has balanced family life with her commitment to racing at NASCAR’s national level.
Her 2025 campaign has focused on select Xfinity Series events, including efforts with the DGM Racing x JIM partnership. As a part-time entrant, she has emphasized making the most of each start and continuing to build experience in the series. Her presence in the field remains a notable storyline for fans of diversity in NASCAR.
Looking ahead, Decker’s partnership with DGM Racing x JIM and her sponsorship by Red Street Records and other partners have positioned her for continued part-time Xfinity Series opportunities. While a full-time ride has not materialized, her milestone-making career and her growing family continue to shape her story. Her 2025 season underscores her commitment to racing on her own terms.
