After a runner-up finish at Texas, Parker Kligerman enters the cutoff race a point behind the cutoff line. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
FORT WORTH, Texas – After a restart with 10 laps to go, it appeared that Saturday was going to be the day Parker Kligerman was going to break through.
Earning seven stage points with finishes of seventh and eighth in Stages 1 and 2, Kligerman emerged as a late contender for the win in his No. 48 Big Machine Vodka Spiked Light Coolers Chevrolet Camaro.
However, when going for the lead on lap 193 on fresh tires, Kligerman and leader Justin Allgaier slid up the track in turns 3-4, allowing John Hunter Nemechek to drive by to win the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kligerman was forced to settle for second for the second time this season, netting his eighth top-five of the 2023 season and fourth in the last six races. Nevertheless, he considered the half glass full upon reflection.
“Yeah, I think it was a solid day,” Kligerman said. “We did everything. We sort of stage points both stages, qualified well, our best oval qualifying of the year. So we’re just getting better there and we’re just, you know, we’re firing on all cylinders, doing the right things. That’s really cool. These performances make me very encouraged.
Like he has many times this year, Kligerman started the race around the back-half of the top-10 only to rally late. While fellow playoff drivers Sam Mayer, Jeb Burton and Josh Berry ran into various issues, Kligerman was steady, running inside the top 10 throughout Saturday’s race at Texas.
On a late caution, Kligerman, along with many others, came in for one last pit stop. With Allgaier and Austin Hill on older tires, Kligerman, Nemechek and Cole Custer looked to go on the offensive on the final restart.
It was not in the cards for Parker Kligerman, but he still gave it all he had at Texas. (Photo: John Arndt | The Podium Finish)
As Nemechek missed a shift and Custer got loose, it was Kligerman who got to the inside of Hill and made a charge for his breakthrough win. Catching Allgaier quickly, Kligerman made his move in Turn 3 on Lap 193, washing up and sending himself and Allgaier wide.
This allowed Nemechek to get the run to the inside, blowing past to win by 1.005 seconds.
While this is another overachievement for a team and driver that have done so all year, it’s hard not to feel like Saturday was a missed opportunity. After a disappointing run at Bristol, Kligerman enters the Charlotte ROVAL only one point behind Daniel Hemric for the final transfer spot.
The road course is an opportunity f0r Kligerman, as he ran second, seventh and third at the last three road courses races as well as scoring a win last year in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio.
Kligerman only has one start at the Charlotte ROVAL, driving to a 26th place finish for the Gaunt Brothers in the 2019 Bank of America ROVAL 400. Nevertheless, he is brimming with genuine confidence ahead of the cutoff race for the Round of 12.
“Now we go to a place that I expect to be really awesome and I look forward to and I’m sure we can go score points in both stages and be in contention to win the race again,” he said.
Editor’s Notes
Rob Tiongson contributed to this article on-site at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.
