Female NASCAR driver cries during shocking car crash, parking trucks during race and upset – leaves series
Natalie Decker parked her truck in Friday’s race at Dover just after lap 81 after NASCAR flagged her for going too slow.
That, of course, is not the whole story. Not even close.
Decker stopped getting angry during the race, and suffered the most amazing car breakdown I’ve ever heard. And folks, I’ve heard A LOT on the radio throughout my years covering NASCAR. In fact, until yesterday, I thought I had heard it all.
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But this? This goes straight to the top. NASCAR fans quickly discovered the buzz after Decker pulled out of the race, and it’s something we’ll be talking about for a long time.
Natalie Decker chats with her team during qualifying for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)
“Guys, I’m trying to hold my s— together, but I don’t want to keep doing this,” a crying Decker began after being told to go down pit road to receive a pass penalty.
“There are so many things I can say right now, and I’m just trying to keep it together, about the f—ing director of the series.”
Here is the full audio:
NASCAR probably needs to get in here
Good grace. And, I’ve never heard anything like it from a NASCAR driver. Never. Credit to his team manager, visionary and team owner for handling it like adults. I would have gone ballistic.
“Let’s remember what’s in our truck, just bring it to the garage, shall we?” said team owner Josh Reaume, referring, apparently, to sponsors.
“I feel like a f—ing failure if I do that,” he replied. “There are many things I want to say and maybe I will be stopped, you don’t know anything.”
Natalie Decker walks the grid during practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series BetMGM 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC, on May 24, 2024. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
Finally, after telling us 13 times that “we don’t know,” Decker ends the day by parking his truck, leaving his team and leaving the Truck Series altogether. And then, naturally, he quickly turns to social media.
“I’m sorry Josh, I’m not going back to the Truck Series,” he continued. “I’m staying on the O’Reilly Series, this f—ing series is getting to me. The amount of hate I’m going to get online for this is going to be crazy. I’m not ready yet.”
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On Friday night, Decker took to social media and actually issued a statement, via Instagram:
“I got a penalty when the green flag came down, I left the finish line before I finished, and when I got that penalty I got another one for speeding on the pit road,” he said. “I’m not going to lie I’m really disappointed because I never recovered from those penalties. I know there’s going to be a lot of hate since I last raced this weekend and you can’t say too bad I’m taking it hard right now.
“But I’m going to push myself to get through this and control what I can’t control going forward and show up to my next race with a smile on my face and fire in me to keep doing what I love.”
Natalie might want to use that bad boy with a planner next time, but that’s neither here nor there.
Natalie Decker sits on the pit wall before the NASCAR Xfinity Series BetMGM 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC, on May 25, 2024. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)
Look, we write about Natalie Decker a lot here. She is an attractive female NASCAR driver who is very active on social media. Those things play well with the audience.
But this is just a shame. Let’s just call it a spade. This looks bad. It’s so bad, I’m not sure NASCAR should let him come back. I’m right. They really want drivers who melt like him that out on the track? That’s not a normal radio sound. Also, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’ve heard it all.
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This one is different. This sounds concerning. It’s not fair to the team, the sponsors, the other drivers on the track, and the fans. Natalie Decker has grown up. He turns 30 next month. She is a mother.
It is not appropriate for his manager to try to speak for him on the radio during the race. That’s high school stuff. This is the real world.
“I’ll get you a new bottle of water when you get out of the truck.”
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It’s a good feeling. I get it. But, now that the dust has settled, it’s time to take off the kid gloves and have a real conversation about what just happened.
And, for NASCAR, maybe it’s time to think about not letting it happen again.
