NASCAR driver Natalie Decker has shared a personal story about how her relationship with her husband Derek Lemke began—revealing he first messaged her when she was just 14.
Speaking on the Speedway Sessions podcast, Decker said she first met Lemke at a Wisconsin racetrack. She was 14 at the time, and he was 18. She recalled being “obsessed” with him, even though he was older and already in a relationship.
Decker said that about six months after meeting at Oktoberfest, Lemke sent her a message on Instagram saying: “Call me when you’re 18.” She responded, agreeing to do so.
The NASCAR driver explained that after she turned 18, Lemke reached out on Valentine’s Day. They have been together ever since, and the couple now has one child.
Podcast host Matt Tifft asked Decker whether the situation could be considered grooming. Decker noted that they never discussed it at the time, but she emphasized that their relationship officially began only after she was legally an adult.
Decker also shared anecdotes about first noticing Lemke at the track, saying she thought he was “the coolest guy,” and that she admired him from afar while he viewed her as “just this little girl.”
The story has drawn attention online due to the unusual timeline of their early interactions and has sparked discussion about boundaries and social media interactions between minors and adults in sports communities.
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