Natalie Decker is scheduled to return to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 18, driving the No. 35 Chevrolet. Her own website lists Bristol as her next race.
And look, we’re not going to pretend this is the second coming of Dale Earnhardt.
Decker has struggled to find consistent results throughout her NASCAR career. She has 16 career O’Reilly Series starts without a top-10 finish, according to available career records.
But that’s exactly why Bristol is going to be interesting.
Because if there is one thing Decker has never lacked, it’s willingness to keep coming back for another shot.
She already returned to NASCAR competition at Daytona this year, then made another start at Talladega. Now she’s headed to Bristol, one of the most unforgiving tracks on the schedule.
Bristol will not be easy.
It probably won’t be pretty.
And there’s a decent chance NASCAR fans spend a few hours wondering what in the hell is happening.
But Decker is getting another opportunity, and that’s ultimately what matters.
She’s still putting herself in race cars.
She’s still chasing the next opportunity.
And she’s still showing up.
So buckle up, NASCAR fans.
Natalie Decker is coming to Bristol. The Last Great Colosseum has seen some wild things before. This could be another one.