Written by Adrian Beecher
Daytona, FL – The first NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series start for Natalie Decker had all the build-up but came to a sudden and fiery end on lap two of the Next Era Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
After running the 7th fastest lap in round one of qualifying on Friday afternoon, a slower lap in the final round of qualifying still earned Decker an 11th place start in her first truck ride at Daytona.
After a clean lap one, that saw Decker dropping back midway through the field as she grabbed space, thinks took a rocky turn. As the field went through turn one and into two, a piece of debris cut the tire of Decker and her teammate David Gilliland in the No. 17.
Decker would hit the outside wall, as he left front tire went down and she worked to wheel the No. 54 machine around turn three and four. As she pulled into pit road, the left front of her truck burst into flames as the friction proved to be too much.
Decker slammed on the breaks near the entrance of the first pit stall and quickly got out of the vehicle with the help of a crewman. As she rushed away from the truck, she stumbled getting over the pit wall and away from the vehicle on fire.
She was greeted by her crew chief and family once over pit wall, and she even had a laugh with her crew chief.
She was cleared by track officials and was scored with a last-place finish at Daytona International Speedway in the 2019 Next Era Energy 250.
However, you can count on this just being furthermore motivation for the 21-year old racer from Eagle River, Wisconsin.
