NASCAR driver Natalie Decker revealed that her now-husband, Derek Lemke, slid into her DMs when she was just 14-years-old while they were racing in Wisconsin.
At the time, Lemke was 18-years-old. But Decker said he gave her specific instructions about when to reach out.
In an episode of the ‘Speedway Sessions’ podcast hosted by former stock car driver Matt Tifft, Decker revealed her first run-in with her now husband – as well as the flirtatious interaction leading to their eventual marriage.
‘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,’ Decker recalled in the episode.
‘And he was wearing a baby blue Bauer hat – hockey brand – backwards. And 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.” And my dad was like oh, whatever, whatever.’
Decker said that she became ‘obsessed’ with Lemke romantically and continued to bump into each other over the course of a year. However, the four-year age gap made their relationship complicated as he was a legal adult at 18-years-old.
NASCAR driver Natalie Decker revealed some shocking details about how she met her husband
Decker was 14-years-old when she ran into her now husband Derek Lemke when he was 18 – but says that she was head over heels for him throughout her teenage years
Decker reveals that Lemke slid into her DMs and told her to ‘call me when you’re 18’
‘Like I think he’s the coolest guy, I think he’s so cute. Like I’m crushing on him hard and I’m just like this little girl to him at this point.
‘He has a girlfriend, he’s graduated high school. So like it’s weird, right?’
Then, one day, when she was older than when they met, she says Lemke hit her up on Instagram.
‘He messaged me on Instagram and he was like, “Call me when you’re 18.” And I said, “Bet, I will.” I was like ok, deal… I’m pretty sure he still had a girlfriend when he told me that.’
Tifft was stunned by the honesty and asked, ‘Is that grooming? I feel like that’s grooming.’ Decker said that the pair had ‘never talked about it.’
When Decker did eventually turn 18, she ended up making her move on him.
‘He texted me and he’s like, “How’s it going?” And it was Valentine’s Day, so Dad if you’re watching this, I’m so sorry, but my mom already knows about it – so I’ll say it.
‘I sent him a very cute picture of my cute little butt and I said, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Derek. What’s my present?” We’ve never stopped talking since that day.’
When she turned 18, Decker sent him some sexy photos and things progressed from there
Fans on social media seemed concerned over Decker’s open admission of this incident
Fans were collectively stunned over her admission, with many of them concerned over the timeline of the events.
‘this is NOT a flex yo,’ wrote one user on Instagram.
Another wrote, ‘Idk if I’d be bragging about this. And I definitely wouldn’t want her bragging about this if I were him. Telling a 14 year old to “call me when you’re 18” is certainly a…..decision.’
‘Yeah this isn’t something to be proudly saying,’ another comment read.
One user posted, ‘The way she told this story made him sound really really screwed up. Even if it’s true or not, this would end up being really bad publicity for him if it blows up.’
‘People really do be saying just anything and everything on podcasts these days,’ read another comment.
Decker and Lemke were married in 2023, with Decker giving birth to a son in February 2025
The couple got engaged in December of 2022 and were married about one year later – when she was 25 and he was 29.
In February 2025, Decker gave birth to her first child, a son named Levi.
Decker has been racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series – the sports No. 2 series behind the top-flight Cup Series. She also has experience racing trucks as well as modifieds.
Across 14 races in the O’Reilly series, her best finish is 18th at Daytona International Speedway. This season, she took the green flag at the opening race of the season at Daytona and finished 33rd.
Lemke also raced trucks in NASCAR, driving in two races at Richmond and at the Milwaukee Mile in his native Wisconsin back in 2023. He still continues racing in lower divisions.
