Connect with us

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Parker Kligerman Pursues Las Vegas Win

Parker Kligerman

Parker Kligerman looks forward to his future as he prepares for Saturday night’s Ambetter Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Justin Sheldon | The Podium Finish)

LAS VEGAS — Parker Kligerman prepares for his final four races as a full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series competitor with confidence and grace. After a tough result at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, he heads into the Ambetter Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a fresh mindset.

“It’s been an interesting week, but I still echo the same sentiments after the race — grateful to be in that position, to move on, and rise up,” Kligerman said. “We’re at Vegas now, and we got a couple more chances to get a checkered flag. Why not do it here?”

With only a few races left in Kligerman’s full-time career, every lap is a farewell tour, the stakes higher than ever. He is optimistic about Las Vegas, a track where he’s had success in the past, including two 11th place finishes. In the spring, he nabbed six stage points and finished 11th with a driver rating of 91.3.

Although qualifying 11th for Saturday’s race, Kligerman showed speed in practice with the sixth fastest time. The driver of the No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet is a contender no matter the track.

After the heartbreak at the ROVAL, Kligerman is handling the outcome with maturity beyond his roles as a podcaster and NASCAR on NBC reporter.

“A lot of people want me to get out of the car and say, ‘Screw NASCAR.’ But I don’t feel that way,” he said. “Yes, it would’ve been nice if the circumstance was different and we were across the line and it was the final, we got the white and we were able to win it. Yes, of course. It’s been amazing. We all strive for [it], but we didn’t. Part of why I wasn’t completely distraught is that I wasn’t surprised.

Kligerman, ever the realist, is not distraught. He has seen both sides of the coin as a driver and a reporter for NBC.

Parker Kligerman

Parker Kligerman has put his best feet forward, getting in the driver’s seat of his No. 48 Big Machined Spiked Coolers Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Justin Sheldon | The Podium Finish)

“I’ve sat on pit road doing pit reporting and watched plenty of teams and drivers have their heart ripped out by an ill-timed caution or an unfortunate circumstance,” he observed. “And so that is the nature of racing. There is an incredible amount of moving parts.

“It is a highly irrational endeavor which also makes it so powerful when it all comes together and you’re able to go out and win because it’s incredibly hard to do.”

Despite the disappointment, Kligerman credits his No. 48 team for getting him into contention.

“I have gone through all the stages of grief, sadness, disappointment, anger, but I keep coming back to one thing: we all rose up,” he said. “My team stuck to a strategy that at one point maybe didn’t look like it was the best one, but they stuck to their guns.

“We had a car that could compete at the front. And that’s all you can do. And if you do that and you get the trophy, great. Awesome, you did your job. If you don’t, you know that’s racing. Move on to the next one. There’s always another race.”

Kligerman is focused on finishing strong as his full-time racing career winds down. Reflecting on his career, he remains committed to giving everything in the final stretch.

“I’ve always put the same amount of effort into it. It’s taken an immense effort, sacrifice all those things that everyone talks about to do this and to be at this level,” Kligerman shared. “And I’ll bring that to the next couple of weeks.

“My preparation and everything I’ve done just this week has been exactly the same that I’ve done for 15 years with some adjustments as I’ve gotten smarter, hopefully, and better at that.”

The upcoming races are not just about nostalgia for Kligerman. They are about closing out on his terms.

“I think knowing it’s ending is on your mind, but it’s not something I dwell on want to change how we do this,” he remarked. “We have a chance to finish fifth in points. We’ve still got a chance to go get a trophy here in the next couple of weeks. And you know, that’s my goals and I’m going to give everything I’ve got to do that.”

Kligerman’s career has spanned over a decade, from a young ARCA prospect in 2008 to a seasoned driver who joined Big Machine Racing in 2022. In that time, he has helped the team grow into a consistent contender.

Parker Kligerman

Parker Kligerman surveys the situation during Friday’s on track session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Justin Sheldon | The Podium Finish)

“It’s just about finishing strong and doing the best I can with our team,” Kligerman said. “Our guys have worked on this to hopefully reward them with a win. And if we’re able to do that, it would be really, really special.”

There have been many highlights for Kligerman this season, including an eighth-place finish at Phoenix, a scrappy fifth at Circuit of the Americas, and podiums at Daytona and Atlanta. Perhaps the most meaningful moment came in June, atop a mountain in San Francisco, where he found clarity about retiring.

“The way I described it, it’s just one of those moments where you don’t know until you know. I realized it’s time. And I think I want to pursue other things,” Kligerman said. “I’m really excited about what I’m doing next. I feel really lucky I got to do this and do it at a seriously high level and to do it with great people and, and to have chances like we had last weekend at trophies.”

Kligerman approaches this transition with peace, though a part of him still longs for that final triumph. A victory in his final races would be a fitting conclusion to a career defined by determination.

“When I was younger, I wanted to be remembered for being fast. Looking back, I wish there was a lot more trophies, but if people enjoyed me being here, that means the world to me. I love this sport and want to be a part of it forever.”

As Kligerman prepares to close out his chapter as a full-time driver, he remains a fan favorite, hopeful for one last ride in Victory Lane.

Editor’s Notes

Special thanks to Parker Kligerman and Big Machine Racing Marketing Chief, Paul Williams, for making this feature possible. Watch the full, unedited interview with Parker Kligerman on YouTube now!

Rob Tiongson is a sports writer and editor originally from the Boston area and resides in the Austin, Texas, area. Tiongson has covered motorsports series like NASCAR and INDYCAR since 2008 and NHRA since 2013. Most recently, Tiongson is covering professional basketball, mainly the WNBA, and women's college basketball. While writing and editing for The Podium Finish, Tiongson currently seeks for a long-term sportswriting and sports content creating career. Tiongson enjoys editing and writing articles and features, as well as photography. Moreover, he enjoys time with his family and friends, traveling, cooking, working out and being a fun uncle or "funcle" to his nephew, niece and cat. Tiongson is an alum of Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and St. Bonaventure University's renowned Jandoli School of Communication with a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in NASCAR XFINITY Series