Expressing frustrations over the radio is nothing new when it comes to NASCAR. But it is very rare for fans to hear the vulnerability of a driver during the race, as they saw with Natalie Decker on Saturday.

The #22 driver for Team Reaume entered the Truck Series race at Dover Motor Speedway on a positive note. But it just got worse from there. Just a few laps in, she was hit with a penalty for pulling out of line before the start.

While serving the first penalty, she was hit with another one for speeding on the pit road. And then, her breaking point came after NASCAR black-flagged her for failing to maintain the minimum speed. All of this took place in just 81 laps of the race.

Decker took to the radio to vent her frustration about the Truck Series director Wayne Auton. “There’s just so many s***** things that I could say right now, and I’m just trying to keep it together, about the [expletive] director of the series. I feel like a [expletive] failure if I do that. There’s so many things I want to say, and I’m probably going to get [expletive] suspended. You have no idea.

"I’m sorry. Josh, I’m not going to come back to the Truck Series,” Natalie Decker said. 

Natalie Decker’s team members tried to comfort her in the moment. Eventually, she pulled into the garage as her husband, Derek Lemke, took over the vehicle. 

The 28-year-old driver has made a name for herself after competing in NASCAR’s Truck Series and O’Reilly Series. She has also gained a sizable amount of fan following on her social media. 

This emotional outburst became one of the most talked-about moments to come out of the Truck Series race. 

Natalie Decker fears online backlash after early Dover exit

Following the outburst, Decker quickly pointed to the backlash she would receive online for stopping before the race ended. She said, “The amount of hate I’m going to get online for this is just going to be insane. I'm not ready.”

However, she soon took to her social media accounts, where she thanked her fans for their support while also explaining how the penalties took a mental toll on her. This led to the outburst on the radio. 

Fans under her post left mixed views on the incident. Some criticized her for it, while others defended the #22 driver, as they pointed out the pressure a driver goes through while competing in NASCAR’s national series. 

Despite the post, as of now, it remains uncertain if Decker will make her return to the Truck series. 

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason