Let’s face it, NASCAR is a predominantly male-oriented sport. Ever since the stock car racing series took root back in the 1940s, women have rarely stepped into its ranks except for once-in-a-blue-moon occasions. However, the gender disparity seems to be shifting in recent times. Natalie Decker is one of the star women bringing that change, but even then people doubt her legitimacy.

Currently, no woman driver competes in NASCAR’s highest tier, the Cup Series. The last time a woman took the wheel of a Cup car was when Danica Patrick drove until she retired in 2018. Presently, Decker along with others like Hailie Deegan and Toni Breidinger are foraying into Truck and Xfinity levels. Yet the road to glory is a rough one for Decker.

Natalie Decker bursts the bubble of misconception about her

Decker is steadily pushing her limits in the world of motorsports. This year, she competed in the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona, driving the No 36 Chevrolet Camaro under DGM Racing. She had enrolled in the second tier of NASCAR in the past three seasons with different racing teams. 

Decker scripted history when she landed a fifth-place finish at a Truck race in Daytona in 2020. She was the first and only woman driver to do so. Yet some in the NASCAR community are cruel enough to claim she does not have skills. Natalie Decker recently appeared in an interview with Kenny Wallace to dissolve those ill-founded notions.

She blamed people’s lack of knowledge about her. “And the thing is, I’m not that old, but also social media wasn’t what it is now, it wasn’t like that back then. There wasn’t a way for me to publicly showcase what I was doing. Like all my championships, all my wins, we raced a lot. And I have a lot of experience in short-track racing before I came into the ARCA Series. That’s when I feel like social media really took a shift, and it was a big part of everybody’s career.”

She further strove to highlight the parts of her life that people ignore, dispelling ‘daddy’s money’ rumors. “I started racing when I was 9 years old, and I fought my way through short-track racing and through the Midwest to get to the ARCA Series eventually. I think I was 18-19 when I started racing in the ARCA Series. A lot of people think I just like randomly came out of nowhere, with ‘Daddy’s money’, they say. Oh I wish, because I would totally be racing off of my Dad’s money if I could.”

Natalie Decker first entered the world of racing in a go-kart. From there, she weaved a glittering career: she won four track championships in Wisconsin, won one race and two podium finishes in the Limited Late Model division, and became the ‘Sportsman’ of the Year in the Midwest Truck Tour. These are just some of her achievements until she appeared in NASCAR.

Natalie Decker does not shy away from the obstacle-riddled career she has chosen in racing.

Decker faces challenges with her head held high

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Behind every successful woman, there is a fiery mindset fueling her ambitions to fly high. The same can be said about Natalie Decker, who is boldly proving her doubters wrong in motorsport. She broke the record in 2020 by securing a fifth-place finish, and may soon achieve more milestones. Motorsport is an uncertain sport, and racers do not get through often. However, Decker is determined to face the hurdles.

“There are so many obstacles when it comes to trying to live out a dream, but those obstacles make you who you are,” Decker said to NASCAR. “Every time you come to a big obstacle and get through it, it makes getting to that goal so much better.”

As Natalie Decker works her way toward Xfinity victories and possibly an entry into the Cup Series, we have nothing but a basket full of wishes and praises for her.

“I Worked My B*tt Off!” – Xfinity Star Natalie Decker Talks About How She Is No Longer Bothered By Sexist Remarks