Portland
What a day. Parker Kligerman and the Spiked Coolers No. 48 started on a high note with a P1 in practice.
Then, in qualifying, a gear box problem meant the crew had to climb under the car and make a change. That meant starting the race in the back of the pack.
But Parker and the team scratched, clawed and powered their way back to P2.
With a caution at the end of the race, it was time too go for it.
After a Lap 73 yellow flag for debris on the track, Justin Allgaier held the lead for the overtime restart on Lap 76. Right behind Allgaier, Kligerman steered to the inside and charged the first corner, carrying Allgaier wide and knocking Sheldon Creed off the track.
From the inside lane, Cole Custer took the lead through Turn 1. Allgaier got to Custer’s bumper on the final lap, but he couldn’t make the pass for the win. Custer won by .142 seconds, his first victory of the season.
“Back in 2006, when I was 15 years old, I raced two races at Portland in Formula Renault,” remembers Parker Kligerman. “I finished 2nd. In that year I won 14 out of 18 races. As we liked to say ‘Finishing 2nd was a disaster.’ When you want to go to F1, perfection isn’t preferred, it’s required.
So when I saw this year we were going to Portland in Xfinity, I wanted revenge. Even though being so many years removed and knowing this race was a big opportunity for us as a team. I knew it was a place we could win and the cherry on top fulfilling a missed goal as a kid.
We put a lot of effort into this race and as we went P1 in practice by 3 tenths. It felt like we would be rewarded. Then in qualifying I went to shift into 3rd gear on my out lap. It bounced back. Then it made the dreadful grinding noise. Then onto the front stretch once again it didn’t want to go into gear. My heart sank.. We still managed a lap using the clutch that was a tenth off top 5. But a gearbox change was needed - to the back we go.
We started at the back and by lap 25 were in the top 10. 4th in stage 2 and with 7 laps to go, we were in 2nd trying to catch the 7 car. Caution flies and thus starts those high intensity late race NASCAR restarts.
The last one, I got a great restart. Pushing the back bumper of the 7, as we hit the braking zone. I had a choice. Back off and settle into 3rd or move to the right and use the extra real estate to control the corner into turn one and then we could battle it out into turns 2 & 3. I went for the latter.
As I hit the brakes… the rears locked and now I was in recovery mode. Trying to get it stopped. And I barely did, but not without a bit of ruffled feathers.
It’s a move I would make 10/10 times but it just wasn’t timed right. If I don’t take the chance, I most likely finish 2nd or 3rd.
But I’ve done that there before. I also owe it to my team, Spiked Coolers and all the effort it takes to do this, to go for a win. If I didn’t, I’d have a hard time thinking I belong here and 15 year old me would have been severely disappointed. On to Sonoma.”
Parker’s 14th place finish keeps him in 14th place with 307 points for the season.
The team heads down the west coast to Sonoma for the DOORDASH 250, this Saturday June 10.
Race starts at 5:00 pm pacific time.
Watch it on FS1 and hear the radio broadcast on Sirius/XM channel 90 and PRN affiliates nationwide.
Overview
Event: Pacific Office Automation 147
Date: Saturday June 3, 2023
Time: 1:30 pm Pacific
Location: Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon
Layout: 1.9 mile Road Course
Laps: 150
Miles: 147.75
Stage Lengths: 25/50/75
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN and Sirius XM Channel 90
Notes of interest:
“After a what has been a really tough month of May for us,” says Parker Kligerman, “I am so excited to get to some road course racing. I raced at Portland in 2006 and really enjoyed it, so I can’t wait to get back there in a stock car this time. It’s a fast track with one very heavy braking zone, but also a very quick lap that requires a fair amount of precision for a stock car on a road course. We have a huge opportunity ahead of us and the whole Big Machine Racing team has been putting in the effort to make sure we are showing up as prepared as possible. This is going to be fun, I can’t wait!”
Driver Points: 275, ranked #14
Parker Kilgerman socials
https://www.instagram.com/pkligerman
https://twitter.com/pkligerman
https://www.facebook.com/ParkerKligerman
No. 48 SPIKED Coolers Team Roster
Driver: Parker Kligerman Hometown: Westport, CT
Team Manager: Keith Barnwell
Crew Chief: Patrick Donahue
Car Chief: Kenneth Roettger
Engineer: Cody McKenzie
Mechanic: Thomas Tucker
Spotter: Brandon McReynolds
Interior/Tire Specialist: Joseph Hammack
Shop Foreman: Artie Haire
Shop Support: Jeff Sennett
Suspension: Tommy Machek
Front Changer: Bryan Backus
Fueler: Justin White
Jack: Doug Warrick
Rear Changer: Marcus Horton
Tire Carrier: Lamar Neal
Hauler Driver: Jackson White