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DGM Racing's part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Natalie Decker's first appearance at the Daytona International Speedway behind the wheel of a nationwide series car ended with the 26-year-old driver finishing in P18.
While the Eagle River native seemed content with her first nationwide appearance at Daytona and her top-20 finish during the United Rentals 300 at the 2.5-mile-long track, fans on social media disagreed with the #36 Chevrolet Camaro driver.
Replying to one such comment from a fan on X (formerly Twitter), Decker elaborated on the importance of her finish on Monday, citing several reasons such as weather delays and track conditions. She wrote:
"18th is not a win but what is a win for us is the opportunity to be here at Daytona. Qualifying a car into the show that had NO owner points. Finishing the race and bringing the car home. oh and did I mention the team put this car together in 2 weeks that is also a BIG win"
Despite not having won the 300-mile-long race as per the fans' expectations, the ARCA Menards Series regular seemed to do pretty well. Natalie Decker managed to lead laps during the race as well, making her only the third female driver to do so in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Fans shower Natalie Decker with support post-Xfinity Daytona finish
While some NASCAR fans on social media were dismissive of Natalie Decker's achievements during the United Rentals 300 on Monday night, others were quick to lift her spirits. Here are some of the best reactions on X:
"Don’t forget, you led laps, were talked about on tv, and your sponsors got tv time. Totally a win"
"Anytime you can avoid the "big one" at Daytona, and bring it home...it's a good run!"
The 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season will now move on from the rain delays at Daytona International Speedway and head to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia for the King of Tough 250. The race is expected to go live on Saturday, February 14, 2024 at 5:00 pm ET.
