Having an opportunity to win a NASCAR championship is something Parker Kligerman has always dreamt of doing.
Though the road to his first NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs run is as unconventional as one could imagine.
After his first full-time stint in the series driving a Kyle Busch-owned ride didn’t go as planned in 2013, Kligerman spent his days between 2014-’22 hopping around different race cars across NASCAR’s three national touring series.
Along the way came a unique opportunity to be a pit reporter for NBC’s NASCAR coverage, keeping the Connecticut native close to the sport.
It wasn’t until a three-race deal with Big Machine Racing last season sparked a career arc for Kligerman. After solid showings aboard the No. 48 Chevrolet, Kligerman was tapped to run a full season in the Xfinity Series this year — his first in 10 years.
At age 33, Kligerman is the second-oldest driver in the Xfinity Series playoffs. Justin Allgaier, who is 37, is the oldest.
The driver of the No. 48 hasn’t won a race this year, though has been one of the Xfinity Series’ most consistent drivers of late. Ten of his last 13 races have resulted in top-10 finishes, with a best result of second at Wisconsin’s Road America.
While he’s not a young gun, Kligerman’s season has been filled with life lessons and self-reflection. For starters, the mental game of being a successful race car driver has been a learning process.
“I think the two big things that stick out to me that I’ve had to work on this year have been up here,” Kligerman said pointing to his head, “on the mental side of the sport, and really see that when you get to the pointy end of a race series like the NASCAR Xfinity Series, it’s one of the top-three race series in the United States and top five in the world, you’re competing against really, really great competitors.
“And that’s from top to bottom, from drivers, to crew chiefs, to engineering to the team members. So that really means you’ve got to perform at a high level. They have a lot of experience, and they absolutely just want you to fail.
“That is the nature of competition,” Kligerman continued. “So, for me, I think I’ve learned a lot about how to become stronger mentally, how to be open about what I’m doing to be better mentally and to perform at a higher level in the race car at certain moments, and certain time periods within the sport.”
Coinciding with his mental strength, Kligerman has found soul searching to be a major boost to his efforts.
”The last part, I don’t know if this is corny or cheesy, but there’s a bit in here,” Kligerman said pointing to his heart, “of like, ‘How bad you want it? How much do you want to be here? What’s it mean to you to be here?’
“All the things that are a little bit about yourself and your journey in life. So for me, I’ve had to have those moments of being like, ‘Hey, you worked really hard to get here, so what are you willing to do to stay here or to be successful?’
“I’’ve had to adjust things in my life and priorities to be the best I can possibly be,” Kligerman continued. “I don’t want to say catch up for lost time, but like, make up a little bit for lost time in terms of my experience level in these race cars in this series, compared to a guy like Justin Allgaier, who’s been doing this for many years.”
Heading into the Round of 12 at Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway, Kligerman is 12th in the standings, the last driver on the playoff grid.
Despite having to compete from behind entering the weekend, Kligerman and the Big Machine Racing team view their playoff potential optimistically.
“If we just bring that same level of performance in the next three weeks, that’s getting us into the second round,” Kligerman said. “Then in the second round, all bets are off. Can we go win (Las) Vegas? I think so.
“Can we go win one of these races and find ourselves a part of the Championship Four? Absolutely.”
While his high hopes of making noise in the playoffs are yet to be determined, Kligerman has peace regardless of the outcome because of his humbling journey.
“No matter what happens in my life, I’m gonna be very grateful for this because I think it’s made me a better person,” Kligerman said. “I’m not gonna say it’s made me smarter, because I probably hit my limit there.
“But I think it’s definitely made me someone who’s a lot more understanding of the world and I feel better prepared to be in pressure-packed, high-pressure situations, no matter what is in the future.”