NASCAR insider Karsyn Elledge weighed in on Natalie Decker blasting Sam Mayer last Friday during the O’Reilly Auto Parts season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. Decker went full berserk mode on Mayer after getting collected in a multi-car incident on Lap 91 of the United Rentals 300.
So, what happened? Well, things started going down when Jeb Burton hit Ryan Sieg from behind, pushing the latter’s vehicle loose. Brandon Jones and Mayer got involved in the mess, with the latter nudging the No. 20 (driven by Jones) and then going straight into the SAFER barrier.
While riding on the top, Mayer’s battered car made contact with Decker’s No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports vehicle. Decker was furious and went on an expletive-filled rant on her in-car radio.
“Whoever that f*cking idiot was go to his f*cking pit,” she said. “Why would he f*cking do that?! Ruined our f*cking race! Sorry everyone…great work.”
Being a competitive race car driver in the past, Elledge found Decker’s comments embarrassing. In a recent episode of the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast, where she is a host, Elledge said:
“Between the taking three business days to run into Sam Mayer and the multitude of things I saw on social (media) last week…obviously, while I did not go much further, I witnessed a lot of women around me who have.”
“It’s honestly embarrassing. It’s embarrassing for the women who have worked hard to have a place in this sport, to be taken seriously, to be seen as an equal competitor,” she added.
Mayer ended up P31, while Decker bagged a P33. Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Hill took home the win, with a 0.081-second margin over former series champion Justin Allgaier. Rounding off the top five were Ryan Sieg, Jordan Anderson, and Sammy Smith.
Next up for the drivers is the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at EchoPark Speedway. Scheduled for February 21, fans can watch the race live on CW, with live radio updates on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Natalie Decker Recalls Meeting Her Husband, Derek Lemke, When She Was 14
Natalie Decker met her husband, Derek Lemke, for the first time when she was 14 and was instantly attracted to him. Lemke, a professional stock car driver, was 18 at the time. The age gap made things difficult for the two, as Lemke was a legal adult and Decker was not.
Decker first saw Lemke at his home track in Elko, Wisconsin. The driver was wearing a baby blue Bauer hat backwards. Recalling the day and her husband’s outfit, Decker told Matt Tifft on the “Speedway Sessions” podcast:
“I was 14-years-old and I went to his home track at Elko (Wisconsin), and he was a few people in front of me in line checking in to get your pit pass. I look at my dad and I said, ‘Do you think that’s a hockey player AND a race car driver? Cause if that’s the case, I will marry that guy.'”
Natalie Decker texted Lemke when she turned 18. Things worked out great between the two, and several years later, they got married on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2023. Decker and Lemke welcomed their first child in February 2025.
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