By Seth Eggert, Associate Editor
BRISTOL, Tenn – Despite drifting through the corner mid-race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Parker Kligerman clinched a spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Early in the second Stage of the Food City 300, Kligerman was sent into Turn 2 by Brennan Poole. The No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet Camaro SS drifted up and down the banking, narrowly avoiding contacting both the outside wall and other cars.
After restarting at the back of those on the lead lap, Kligerman put on a clinic on fresh tires. He quickly climbed back up the running order. By the end of the second Stage, the Big Machine Racing driver was 10th. The one Stage point, combined with a lack of Stage points by Ryan Sieg, locked the NASCAR on NBC pit road reporter into the post-season.
After a mostly caution-free final Stage, Kligerman slipped back outside of the top-10. When the checkered flag waved, the Chevy Racing driver was 16th.
“It’s a big achievement for this race team to (make the Playoffs two years in a row) owner’s points and drivers, that’s pretty cool,” Kligerman said. “It wasn’t the prettiest night. We had everything, we drove back to the front like three or four times probably. Everyone on this Big Machine Spiked Coolers team did the best they could and we’re going to get hit by a car that’s not going to be good.
“We got hit by a bunch of cars. We got half spun. I don’t know if they showed it, but I did the craziest slide ever. I’m going to say a lot of luck and an ounce of skill in there saving that. But hey, we’re in the playoffs. Anything can happen. We I think we have got three great tracks. The first round for us, we can make it out of the first round and then all bets are off in the second round, making the Championship 4.”
After the reseeding for the Playoffs, Kligerman is now last on the Playoff Grid. In part that is the result of a penalty from Michigan Int’l Speedway earlier this season. He is 12-points below the cutline, currently held by Riley Herbst.