NASCAR
Parker Kligerman Disqualified in Fresh From Florida 250 After Failing Post-Race Inspection
UPDATE: Kligerman has been disqualified for failing post-race heights. Corey Heim is the new race winner. Henderson Race Team does plan to appeal this ruling. Everything below was written prior to inspection being complete.
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Part-time NASCAR veteran Parker Kligerman starts a new season on top of the racing world. Now an Xfinity Series broadcaster for The CW, Kligerman will continue to make limited Truck Series starts. Daytona went according to plan for the Connecticut native, being out front when a race-ending caution flew on the last lap. PK’s first NASCAR win since 2022 came on the sport’s biggest stage.
The opening two Stages flashed by with minimal on-track issues. ThorSport Racing teammates Ben Rhodes and Matt Crafton flexed their muscles early, splitting the Stage wins.
A great pusher for many past Xfinity superspeedway races, Kligerman showcased this expertise all night long. The Henderson Race Team No. 75 Chevrolet was one of the most aggressive in the pack across all 100 laps, but only found the lead on the last lap.
Following a multi-truck accident in the final corner, a caution flew with Kligerman out front. Daytona marks career win number four for PK, and comes a day before he reports for duty with The CW tomorrow.
“Daytona, come on,” Kligerman said. “Let’s go! Biggest win of my entire life. Thank you, Don and Charlie Henderson. I wish they were here right now. Scott, we did it finally! Scott Borchetta, thank you for getting us this beautiful truck; Chris Carrier, who makes this whole thing happen.”
“I’m out of breath. I can’t believe it. I was just making moves. Every move I made felt like it worked. For some reason it really did. These guys built an amazing truck. I can’t believe we’re here. Thank you, Spiked Coolers. Finally get them in victory lane after the last two years means a lot.”
“This has been so close the last couple of years. This means so much to win in the biggest place. We’re doing all the TV stuff today, talking about how much this place means.”
“And all of you fans here at Daytona, thank you so much! God, I love this place. I love racing. I love winning.”
“I’m ready for the next chapter of my life, but this one means a lot. Happy Valentine’s Day to all the moms out there as well. Love you, Mom.”
Behind Kligerman, Corey Heim is Daytona runner-up for a second-straight year. Other top finishers were: Gio Ruggiero, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Justin Haley, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Jason White, and William Sawalich. Hear from a few of these drivers below.
Catch Kligerman on a weekly basis calling the action on Saturdays, with a few more Truck starts still coming as well. The Truckers will be back on track Saturday from Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Fr8 208 goes green at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Much like Daytona, Atlanta offers ample opportunity for a surprise winner to stand tall as an upset.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
