Parker Kligerman recently opened up about his “heart-wrenching” near victory at the Charlotte Roval.
Starting strong, Kligerman found himself in a promising position to claim his first Xfinity win, battling against fierce competitors like Shane van Gisbergen and Sam Mayer.
After the race, he shared his feelings with the media, mentioning, as quote from Motorsport.com:
“I’ve been in this position before, and it’s always hard.”
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Emotional and a bit teary-eyed at one point, he recalled, “When I thought we had it at the white flag, only to have to refocus due to the caution, that was tough.”
The race’s turning point came when Leland Honeyman’s No. 42 car hit a tire barrier, causing NASCAR to hesitate before waving the caution flag. This led to confusion as Kligerman thought he had won, only to learn there would be an overtime restart.
Unfortunately, during the restart, Kligerman couldn’t hold onto his lead and finished sixth, leaving him frustrated after a race where he had hoped to advance in the playoffs.
“I knew I needed a good restart,” he reflected. “I thought I had Turn 7 nailed but a contact changed everything. It was tough racing, and I wanted that win so bad. It would have meant everything.”
Kligerman expressed mixed feelings about the strategy call from his team: “They said to go for points, and it worked out, but I just really wanted that win. I was pushing hard on that last run.”
Reflecting on the race footage later, he expressed disbelief at how close he had come: “Oh man. You’re kidding me. This sport can be so gut-wrenching.” He added, “It’s part of what fans love. I’m just grateful for the opportunity. I really wanted to make it to the next round, but it wasn’t in the cards. I’ll keep chasing that checkered flag.”