Tag: Parker Kligerman

Parker Kligerman won’t return to Big Machine Racing, run full-time in 2025

Parker Kligerman announces he won’t return to Big Machine Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series or run full-time after the 2025 season.

[autotag]Parker Kligerman[/autotag]’s tenure with [autotag]Big Machine Racing[/autotag] is nearing an end. On Thursday morning, Kligerman revealed that he will not drive the No. 48 car for Big Machine Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025. The driver of the No. 48 Xfinity car is currently competing in his second full-time season for the organization, resulting in three second-place finishes.

Also, Kligerman announced that after the 2024 season, he will no longer pursue full-time NASCAR rides. The 34-year-old driver announced all of this news on his podcast, “The Money Lap.” Kligerman has competed in NASCAR since 2009 and struggled to find full-time opportunities from 2014 to 2022.

Kligerman also works with NBC Sports and could be in line for a bigger role at one of the TV networks on the new NASCAR deal. FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Prime, and TNT are all going to carry races in 2025 and beyond. It will be disappointing to no longer see Kligerman full-time; however, the future is still bright on and off the race track.

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Parker Kligerman returning to Big Machine Racing in Xfinity Series for 2024

Parker Kligerman will return to the No. 48 car on a full-time basis for Big Machine Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the 2024 season.

[autotag]Big Machine Racing[/autotag] announced on Thursday morning that [autotag]Parker Kligerman[/autotag] will return to the No. 48 car in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next season. Kligerman, 33, has five top-5 finishes, 12 top-10 finishes, and a 13.9 average finishing position through 23 races during the 2023 NASCAR season.

The driver of the No. 48 car currently sits three points below the playoff cut-line with three races left in the Xfinity Series regular season at Daytona, Darlington, and Kansas. Kligerman has five straight top-10 finishes and has earned the fifth-most points of any driver in the series over that period of time.

 

Kligerman will now officially have a second full-time season with Big Machine Racing after finding his groove as of late. The hope from the No. 48 team and the NASCAR organization is that Kligerman is able to claw his way into the playoffs. It would be Big Machine Racing’s first playoff berth in its existence.

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Kaulig Racing should target these drivers for the No. 31 car in 2024

Kaulig Racing should target these drivers to replace Justin Haley in the No. 31 car for the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2024.

[autotag]Kaulig Racing[/autotag] has an opening in the No. 31 car for their NASCAR Cup Series program after Justin Haley announced he would join Rick Ware Racing on a multi-year deal starting in 2024. It was a shocking development as both sides wanted to continue far into the future. Now, Kaulig Racing is tasked with finding Haley’s replacement, and which drivers make the most sense?

[autotag]Austin Hill[/autotag] is one of Kaulig Racing’s top targets for the No. 31 car and it is easy to understand why that is the case. Hill currently drives for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and sits as the points leader with four wins, 13 top-5 finishes, 17 top-10 finishes, and a 7.5 average finishing position. In this situation, Hill would stay in the Chevrolet camp and go into the perfect situation for both parties.

If Hill surprisingly doesn’t go to Kaulig Racing, there is another stellar option. [autotag]Chandler Smith[/autotag], a driver for the organization in the Xfinity Series, would be a natural fit after his first season with the race team. Smith currently sits seventh in the point standings with one win, five top-5 finishes, eight top-10 finishes, and a 15.4 average finishing position. Smith is bound to end up with Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series one day so why not next year?

Finally, there is an out-of-the-box idea that would make sense for Kaulig Racing. What about Big Machine Racing driver [autotag]Parker Kligerman[/autotag]? The driver of the No. 48 car runs in the Xfinity Series and currently sits 17 points below the cut-line. It would be a surprise to see Kligerman in the No. 31 car but he does have experience in the Cup Series. If Kaulig Racing is looking for a veteran driver, Kligerman could be an fascinating situation.

Either way, the No. 31 car for Kaulig Racing will be one to look out for during the remainder of NASCAR silly season. It represents one of the best rides available in the Cup Series and could give a driver in the lower ranks of the sport a great opportunity.

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