Natalie Decker faced a turbulent Daytona Speedweeks this year, marked by an on-track collision that drew significant criticism, a provocative social media post with comedian Burt Kreischer, and a misleading clip from a podcast appearance. These incidents combined to leave the Eagle River, Wisconsin native entangled in controversy during her time at Daytona Beach, Florida’s famed racetrack.
Decker, competing part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, made headlines as she returned to Daytona International Speedway for the season opener. She drove the No. 35 Chevrolet Camaro for Joey Gase Motorsports, backed by a new sponsor, T.N. Dickinson’s, aiming to build on her 2020 milestone as the first woman to finish in the top five of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona.
Early Race Incident and Challenges on the Track
The race began with turmoil when a stackup unfolded even before the green flag waved. A missed gear shift by one driver triggered a chain reaction that caused damage to Decker’s car, punching a hole in its nose. While the damage was not severe, Decker explained that maintaining drafting speed required strong support from a trailing vehicle, which was lacking initially, impacting her performance.
The more significant clash occurred on Lap 91 of the United Rentals 300 in Turn 2. Decker approached the area cautiously after spotting a wreck ahead, only to be struck unexpectedly by the No. 41 car of Sam Mayer, which had lost braking and steering functionality. Decker was caught off guard and unable to avoid the collision despite her spotter’s instructions.
Regarding the crash, Decker recounted her perspective on the Certified Oversharer Podcast with Samantha Busch:
“I remember coming into Turn 1 just a bit before that [my spotter] saying ‘They’re wrecking out of Turn 2’, and he’s like slow down, slow down, slow down, and that’s exactly what I started to do, and I feel like you don’t see this part on the replay because I was so far behind the whole thing that was happening, and as soon as my spotter said okay, the wreck is clear, go high, come through, that’s what I did,”
Decker said.
“I mean, he can see everything. I can’t see Turn 2. I had no idea what it looked like. I was really trying to listen and do what he was telling me to do.”
“I never had any warning from my spotter that he was rolling back until he was in my windshield,”
she added.
“I was wide-open at that point because my spotter was telling me to hurry and come back through, and I was doing that exact same thing, and all of a sudden, he was just right there.”
The collision resulted in significant damage to Decker’s No. 35 Chevrolet and led to her finishing 33rd, matching her worst run in the series since a similar crash at Daytona in August 2023. Though she escaped serious injury, Decker suffered bruises on her collarbone and arms during Speedweeks.
Mixed Reactions and Intense Backlash from the Racing Community
Shortly after the accident, Decker encountered a wave of sharp criticism on social media. The level of negativity, coming from both fans and insiders, was intense and overwhelming. Decker noted that even though the wreck was a routine racing incident, the backlash felt disproportionately harsh.
“In general, the sport is pretty cutthroat,”
Decker explained.
“You either love the driver, or you don’t, and people like to speak their opinions strongly… and meanly. So, I don’t think it matters if it’s a boy or a girl in the driver’s seat. I think if they make a mistake or have a bad day, or say something in an interview that their haters don’t like, they’re going to get eaten alive for it. That’s just how it is.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Decker acknowledged that the harsh words no longer affect her as deeply as they might have earlier in her career, attributing this resilience partly to her time in the sport and partly to her recent experience becoming a mother.
Reactions from Fellow Female Competitors and the Impact of a Social Media Post
Decker shared that criticism from women within the racing community stung more than the general backlash. She expressed disappointment at the lack of support from some female peers, a dynamic she found puzzling given the usual expectation of solidarity among women.
“It feels different because no matter what, I feel like women should always support women, even if they don’t agree with what the other girl is doing,”
Decker stated.
“But, I feel so detached from the community, in a good way, where I don’t choose to hang out with my competitors or people in the sport when we have time off, I choose to hang out with my family. It’s my parents, my husband, my son, and I; we do our own thing, and it feels kind of nice, because when we go to the track, we go there to work. It does suck, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”
Decker believes much of the female criticism stemmed not from the Daytona crash itself but from a social media image she posted earlier during Speedweeks. The photo showed her with comedian Burt Kreischer, shirtless with her firesuit tied around her waist, which some female followers found controversial.
“I don’t know if I feel misunderstood because I feel like a lot of the hate is coming from my picture with Bert Kreischer, the comedian, from the women, and they just might not agree with it and that’s fine because I’m a big fan of Bert, I’ve watched him for years, and when I had this opportunity to meet him, and it was so spontanious and in the moment, and the people who truly know me, they know [that’s me].”
Interestingly, Decker and her husband Derek, who is also her business manager, confirmed they had approval from sponsor T.N. Dickinson’s before posting the photo. According to them, the sponsor encouraged embracing the moment, saying “when in Rome.”
Choosing Authenticity Over Conformity in a Male-Dominated Sport
Decker explained that her current approach to her career is the result of a decision made a few years ago to reject the restrictive expectations placed on female drivers and instead embrace her true self. She understands the challenges faced by women in NASCAR but prefers to face them on her own terms.
“It’s hard to be a woman in this sport because I feel like we’re under a microscope, but regardless, being in the sport, male or female, on the crew or racing the car, it doesn’t matter it’s a difficult sport, and everyone who is in the sport has worked their butts off to be here,”
Decker said.
“From the engineers to the crew chiefs to the spotters to the drivers, over the wall people, everyone is working so hard to be in the sport, and it’s so difficult to be here.”
This relentless effort underscores how demanding NASCAR is at every level, regardless of gender, and Decker’s persistence highlights her determination to succeed amid these pressures.
Decker’s Future Plans in NASCAR and Endurance After Criticism
Despite the controversy and the intense scrutiny, Decker remains committed to her racing career. She announced during her podcast appearance that T.N. Dickinson’s will continue supporting her through additional races, including stops at Talladega Superspeedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. Additionally, a new sponsor, Venturi Bold Brew, has joined to back her at the Summer race at EchoPark Speedway.
With these commitments, Decker’s 2026 schedule in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is set to include at least five races: Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Pocono, and EchoPark-2. This will match her busiest campaign in the second-tier NASCAR division so far, potentially setting the stage for further growth in her racing career.
Natalie Decker’s experience at Daytona reflects the complex nature of professional racing, where skill, scrutiny, and personal expression collide. While the criticism was challenging, her ability to withstand pressure and secure new opportunities signals her ongoing determination to compete and thrive in NASCAR’s demanding environment.
