Xfinity Series: Parker Kligerman takes over to win at Daytona

Bailey Defoor
10 hours ago
5 min read

Written by Bailey Defoor

Parker Kligerman filled in for Connor Zilisch, who was cleared to race after his slip in Watkins Glen, and went on to win the race from the back.

As it unfolded

Zilisch started on the pole after qualifying was canceled alongside Sam Mayer. Zilisch dropped to the back as a precaution, given that he is still recovering from his collarbone injury. This brought Sammy Smith to the front row for the start.

The drivers stayed two-wide until 6 laps in. Smith was able to clear Mayer on Lap 7, and after that, a little further back, some drivers started going three-wide. Mayer came back on Lap 10 before Austin Hill began to challenge for the lead.

The first caution came on Lap 13 for rain. Harrison Burton also had slight contact with Matt DiBenedetto just before the caution was thrown and had to pit. The No. 88 team also pitted to swap Zilisch out for Parker Kligerman. Parker Retzlaff also pitted with a power steering issue. On Lap 21, the race was red-flagged.

Mayer and Smith led the way back to green with 7 laps to go. Smith had the initial jump, but the two stayed side-by-side until the second caution came out at the end of the stage. Carson Kvapil and Taylor Gray both got knocked sideways after a chain reaction near the front. Dean Thompson, Jeb Burton, Blane Perkins and Nick Sanchez also received damage. Smith was leading at the time of the caution.

Stage 1 Results:

No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)
No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)
No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports)
No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)
No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing)

All lead lap cars pit except Jesse Love and Kligerman pit, cycling the two to the front for the restart on Lap 36. Love had the better restart, but Kligerman came back to stay by his side until Lap 37 when Love slid down in front of Kligerman. Mayer began to challenge Kligerman for second.

Kligerman used the side draft off Love and took the lead on Lap 39 with the help of Smith behind. Smith started fighting for the lead on Lap 41 as Kligerman got split and fell to the bottom of the top 10. In the shuffle, Justin Haley jumped into the lead on Lap 43. With 9 laps to go, Love reclaimed the lead as Sheldon Creed and teammate Hill tried to catch him.

With 2 to go, Hill challenged for the lead, but got touched by Creed and made a save. In the chain, Smith got turned sideways off Turn 4 and spun. William Sawalich, Aric Almirola, Brandon Jones, Thompson, J. Burton and Gray also received damage. Justin Allgaier, who dove under Hill and Love just before the crash, was declared the winner of Stage 2.

Stage 2 Results:

No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)
No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)
No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)
No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports)

It’s an RCR front row as Hill and Love took the field to green on Lap 68, and Hill cleared Love immediately. Alfredo pulled down after stalling and losing power on the restart lap and brought out the fourth caution of the night. Hill and Creed lined up for the restart on Lap 71 after Love opted to run behind his teammate.

Creed had the initial lead before Ryan Sieg got the push from Kligerman. Rajah Caruth spun on the backstretch after contact with DiBenedetto on Lap 74, but no caution was thrown as he was able to keep out of the wall.

Hill got back out to the front on Lap 85, and Kligerman followed right behind him. R. Sieg retook the lead one lap later as Kligerman and Hill battled for second.

Trouble on track at Lap 89 as Gray had a tyre issue and spun, with Caesar Bacarella and Josh Bilicki also spinning and Thompson receiving damage.

R. Sieg and Kligerman led the way with 6 laps to go, and Allgaier gave a big push to Kligerman to get him into the lead. With 4 laps to go, R. Sieg went up to block Leland Honeyman but got turned around and hit Christian Eckes on the side. Ryan Ellis, Daniel Dye, Josh Williams, Sawalich, Creed, Almirola, J. Burton and DiBenedetto were all collected. This sixth caution of the night sent the race into overtime.

Kligerman and Hill took the field back to green for overtime, and Honeyman tried to make it three-wide for the lead. It benefited Kligerman as he easily cleared for the lead. A crash near seventh occurred between Turns 3 and 4 involving multiple cars. Allgaier tried to challenge for the lead, but Parker Kligerman won it for Connor Zilisch.