Roulette Recap follows a randomly-selected NASCAR Xfinity Series driver throughout a race and recaps their efforts. The driver could face calamity on lap one or start from the rear and win the race – there is no telling ahead of time. With that, may the odds be ever in the driver’s favor.
Road America 180
Parker Kligerman is in the midst of his first full-time NASCAR Xfinity Season since 2013, and what a season it has been. After 19 races, Kligerman scored his first pole (Dover Motor Speedway), led 29 laps, and scored eight top 10s (three of those have been top 5s).
Kligerman ran P6 in practice and qualified P17 in his No. 48 Spiked Light Coolers Chevrolet. Coming to the green flag, crew chief Patrick Donahue told his driver, “Be smart, be smooth. We gotta get through Turn 1 – you know what it’s like.”
A confident Kligerman responded, “Let’s go get it!”
Stage 1
By the end of Lap 1, Kligerman moved up to P13 and was told to “go to work” on Moffitt. He did so and then attempted the same on Austin Hill as a battle for the lead happened ahead of him on Lap 7.
Kligerman let his team know he was “tight on the throttle” as he got around Sheldon Creed and took P11. He held steady in this position until the caution waved. It initially came out as the No. 07 of Katherine Legge had mechanical issues, but it ultimately doubled as the competition caution.
During the caution, the No. 48 team went to work on fuel, tires, and adjustments to get Kligerman feeling better about his machine. Given the modified pit stop, Kligerman lined up for the Lap 13 restart back in P11.
He got a great restart and rocketed to P6, but fell back to P12 after contact with John Hunter Nemechek. Throughout the closing laps of the opening stage, Kligerman held steady in P12.
With a buffer ahead and behind him, Kligerman was told to work on Turn 5. He responded, “I got no brakes. I’m trying to take care of them every lap.”
With four to go, Kligerman was working on getting valuable stage points and riding the bumper of Connor Mosack. It worked and Kligerman took off for Sammy Smith with three to go.
With two to go, Chandler Smith lost his brakes and slammed the wall. This caution ended the stage with Kligerman in P11.
Kligerman and his team discussed the plan of attack for the stage break.
Stage 2
Following the stop, Kligerman lined up P10 on Lap 25. Coming down the hill, Kligerman was middle of three when right ahead of him, Riley Herbst and Nemechek made contact spun out. Sitting in the catbird seat, this incident sent Kligerman to P7. The caution eventually waved as Herbst remained stuck on track with Kligerman sitting P8.
Under caution, Kligerman wanted word delivered to Nemechek that they were even now. Per usual as with NASCAR incidents, the two would line up nose-to-tail for the Lap 28 restart.
As the pack behind him went three-wide, they got loose and allowed a gap to grow behind Kligerman. The driver of the No. 48 took advantage of no one on his tail to gain spots and move up to P6.
Kligerman’s next mission was to get around pole winner, AJ Allmendinger. However, before that could happen, the No. 1 of Sam Mayer took the spot.
Kligerman was encouraged to stay in his rhythm with five to go in the stage. He sat P7 and was eyeing stage points. With three to go, the No. 20 drove the No. 21 off the track, and brought out the caution.
The track was cleared and Kligerman lined up P6 with a one-lap shoot-out to end the stage. Unfortunately, he got shuffled back to P10 as the aggression picked up. Coming to the line, he got around Daniel Hemric and Sammy Smith for a P8 stage finish and three, much-needed, stage points.
During the stage break, the No. 48 team went to work one more time on the Chevrolet Camaro, dishing out fresh tires, fuel, and final adjustments.
Pit stop #3 @pkligerman @SpikedCoolers @roadamerica @y100country pic.twitter.com/bk1VyMudsX
— Big Machine Racing (@bigmchnracing) July 29, 2023
Stage 3
The frustration was high behind the wheel of the No. 48, but Kligerman would need to focus that appropriately in the closing nine laps. Restarting P8, Kligerman immediately went to work, peeking around Josh Berry to view what was ahead.
Through The Carousel, Berry and Kaz Grala were ahead of him, beating doors. After working through The Kink, Kligerman was able to get around Grala for P8.
Kligerman set his eyes on Berry with eight to go. Ahead of him, the aggressive driving was picking up. As Kligerman took seven to go, the No. 06 of Alex Labbe slammed the wall hard, bringing out the caution.
Under caution, Kligerman was asked if he was doing okay. He said, “Oh yeh! I just wanna get going! I want to pass all these guys!” The choose options and lane selections were discussed awaiting the green flag.
The Road America 180 would go back green with four to go and Kligerman in P9. Before long, the caution was in the air again as Berry got into S. Smith. In turn, S. Smith got into Hemric and Cole Custer. The latter three got loose and went for a spin.
Kligerman avoided the chaos and gained four spots.
NASCAR Overtimes
Drivers faced a green-white-checkered finish and Kligerman sat P5. Additionally, looking at the Playoff Bubble, Kligerman was sitting 20 points below the cut line.
Into Turn 1, drivers went wide and Kligerman moved up to P4. However, before the white flag waved, the caution was once again in the air. Not only was there fluid in Turn 1, but Mosack, the cause for the fluid, was stalled on the track.
Under caution, Kligerman was told they were fine on fuel. For notebook purposes, he let his team know he was starting to run tight again.
He was informed, “We are not stopping again. I need you to do some of that driving s— and get up there.”
“10-4,” was the only appropriate response.
Before NASCAR would re-rack the cars, they brought out the red flag for further track cleanup. Before lining back up, Donahue reminded Kligerman that “ideally” a Chevy needed to win – even more ideally, the 48.
Kligerman lined up on the front row but fell back to P4 after a shaky restart. Hill was on his bumper, but Kligerman held him off after Justin Allgaier went for a spin.
Sage Karam and Mayer were battling while Kligerman sat, waiting. Mayer went off track and Kligerman took advantage, and the lead.
Coming to the white, Mayer reclaimed the lead and Kligerman was back on the hunt.
Unfortunately, Kligerman could not gain the ground needed and Mayer held on to win, with Kligerman in a solid second.
Final Comments
At the finish, a frustrated Kligerman could only apologize to his team.
Donahue told his team, “Good effort everybody. Good job.”
While it wasn’t the finish Kligerman hoped for, it was a good points day for the No. 48 team as they remained in the Playoff hunt.
Sponsor Shoutout
As NASCAR fans know, sponsors make the sport go ’round. Give Parker’s sponsor, Spiked Coolers, a follow and thank them for sponsoring the Big Machine Racing driver!
Be sure to give Parker Kligerman (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and Big Machine Racing (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) a follow to keep up with the latest news from the driver and team.
