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Parker Kligerman takes upset win in chaotic Talladega Truck race

Parker Kligerman certainly makes the most of his opportunities.

Race winner Parker Kligerman, Henderson Motorsports Toyota

Race winner Parker Kligerman, Henderson Motorsports Toyota

John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Images

In two career wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the 27-year-old from Westport, Conn., has led a total of five laps.

Kligerman grabbed the lead from Christopher Bell with one lap remaining in overtime and claimed the win in Saturday’s Fred’s 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway when the race was placed under caution on the final lap due to a wreck on the backstretch.

Kligerman’s only other Truck Series win came at Talladega in 2012, and as he did then, he got out of his truck after the race and planted the checkered flag in the infield grass.

The win is the second in 68 career starts for Kligerman, who also works part-time as a NASCAR TV reporter for NBC Sports.

“This is incredible,” Kligerman said in Victory Lane. “I’m out of breath, I guess I’m out of shape racing all these kids. It was just crazy that every move I tried, worked.

“Those last 10 laps, no matter if I went high and separated a pack or was trying get the bump and run, every move just worked. Sometimes, it just goes your way. We did that but it starts with having a fast truck.

“It’s an honor to be racing with this team, it’s one of the oldest in NASCAR, but to win with them is incredible.”

Bell ended up second, Myatt Snider was third, Grant Enfinger was fourth and Austin Cindric completed the top-five.

Saturday’s race was the conclusion of Round 1 of the series playoffs and the following drivers advanced to Round 2: Bell, Ben Rhodes, Cindric, John Hunter Nemechek, Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter.

Chase Briscoe and Kaz Grala were both eliminated from further title contention.

“That’s just part of it, it’s just part of the situation we’re dealt in the playoffs,” said Briscoe, who was forced to the garage early in the race for repairs for a leaking valve cover. “If we run better at New Hampshire, this doesn’t happen.

“As much as this sucks right now, I still have to be grateful. I’m just fortunate to be running race cars for a living. I really wanted to get Brad (Keselowski, team owner) his first championship.”

Stage 2

Sauter held off Justin Hailey to complete a sweep of the first two Stages, which will also give him two additional playoff points for Round 2 of the playoffs.

Snider finished third, Cindric was fourth and Crafton completed thee top-five.

“I think the biggest question mark here is whether we can go all the way to the end of the race without pitting again (for fuel),” Sauter said during the break.

Several drivers – among them Bell, Tyler Young and Noah Gragson, elected to pull down pit road right before the pits were closed with two laps remaining in the Stage.

After pit stops during the Stage break, Snider was the first off pit road but Bell, who pit earlier, cycled back to the lead to begin the final 54-lap Stage.

Stage 1

Sauter claimed the Stage 1 victory under caution when a four-truck incident erupted with one lap remaining in the 20-lap segment.

Rhodes, Ryan Truex, Chris Fontaine and Grala were all involved in the accident, with Grala suffering the most extensive damage, which forced him out of the race and knocked him out of the NASCAR playoffs. Truex was also unable to continue.

“That’s the end of our championship hopes, unfortunately,” Grala said in the garage.

Haley finished second, Bell was third, Stewart Friesen was fourth and Snider completed the top-five.

“So far, so good,” Sauter said during the break. “We’ve got a long way to go, we just have to execute down the stretch here.”

During pit stops during the Stage break, Sauter was the first off pit road but Cindric elected not to pit and took over the race lead on the restart for Stage 2.

Gragson, who was sick and had Erik Jones standing by for him in the race, was forced to pit under green on Lap 13 with a loose left-rear wheel.

On Lap 8, Briscoe’s No. 29 Ford began smoking a lot and apparently dropping fluid. NASCAR black-flagged Briscoe and he drove his truck into the garage for repairs, but he was eventually able to return to the track.

Grala was forced to start the race from the rear of the field after his team changed the engine in his No. 33 Chevrolet following qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

Wtach highlights from the race:

 

Here are complete results from the race:

Cla#DriverManufacturerLapsTimeLaps Led
1 75 united_states Parker Kligerman  Toyota 95   3
2 4 united_states Christopher Bell  Toyota 95 0.239 9
3 51 united_states Myatt Snider  Toyota 95 0.334 1
4 98 united_states Grant Enfinger  Toyota 95 1.708 17
5 19 united_states Austin Cindric  Ford 95 2.834 3
6 8 united_states John Hunter Nemechek  Chevrolet 95 3.367  
7 66 venezuela Vance “Vinnie” Matthew Miller  Chevrolet 95 6.248  
8 88 united_states Matt Crafton  Toyota 95 19.209  
9 68 united_states Clay Greenfield  Chevrolet 95 20.697 1
10 63 united_states Bobby Gerhart  Chevrolet 95 29.650  
11 02 united_states Tyler Young  Chevrolet 95 39.492  
12 21 united_states Johnny Sauter  Chevrolet 95 47.109 39
13 83 united_states Spencer Boyd  Chevrolet 95 55.069  
14 18 united_states Noah Gragson  Toyota 95 77.472  
15 24 united_states Justin Haley  Chevrolet 94 1 lap  
16 52 united_states Stewart Friesen  Chevrolet 94 1 lap 10
17 15 canada D.J. Kennington  Chevrolet 94 1 lap 1
18 45 united_states Austin Wayne Self  Toyota 94 1 lap  
19 10 united_states Jennifer Jo Cobb  Chevrolet 93 2 laps  
20 1 united_states Mike Harmon  Chevrolet 90 5 laps  
21 50 united_states Josh Reaume  Chevrolet 90 5 laps  
22 29 united_states Chase Briscoe  Ford 86 9 laps  
23 27 united_states Ben Rhodes  Toyota 70 25 laps  
24 49 united_states Wendell Chavous  Chevrolet 70 25 laps 2
25 13 united_states Cody Coughlin  Toyota 70 25 laps 9
26 47 united_states Chris Fontaine  Toyota 70 25 laps  
27 92 united_states Regan Smith  Ford 53 42 laps  
28 16 united_states Ryan Truex  Toyota 19 76 laps  
29 33 united_states Kaz Grala  Chevrolet 18 77 laps  
30 87 united_states Joe Nemechek  Chevrolet 2 93 laps  
31 6 united_states Norm Benning  Chevrolet 0 95 laps

 

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