Parker Kligerman Scores First Truck Win Since 2017

If Parker Kligerman is selling himself for a full-time Camping World Truck Series ride, his marketing strategy hit the bank in multiple ways on Saturday

The 31-year-old Kligerman led 56 of the 67 laps on the 2.258-mile circuit en route to capturing the checkered flag at the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 by a 0.119-second margin of victory. The win was his first Truck win since 2017 and the third of his career, as he held off strong runs from Zane Smith in the final few laps.

The No. 75 Henderson Motorsports driver also won the $50,000 bonus in the Triple Truck Challenge.

”It’s hard to put into words,” Kligerman told FOX Sports after his win. “I was really emotional on the cool-down lap because this whole team, it’s like a team of second chances. Two years ago, I thought my driving days were done. This team gave me a call, wanting to get back racing. It’s been a steady improvement throughout.

“It’s unbelievable when you put a talented group of humans together what they can achieve. We were doing this on an absolute fraction of what the two trucks we were up against. And we won at Mid-Ohio, a road course! Finally a road course win! I started in road courses, I came into NASCAR thinking, ‘Oh, that will be easy.’ It’s taken me more than a decade to get a win, but finally, we’re here.”

Retweet to congratulate Parker Kligerman on his NASCAR Truck Series WIN at Mid-Ohio! pic.twitter.com/UY2AFvb93y

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 9, 2022

Carson Hocevar finished third, Stewart Friesen came home fourth, and Christian Eckes rounded out the top five.

The Wreck That Could’ve Been

Zane Smith must have found himself in quite the battle during the closing laps.  The bad angel was telling  Smith to wreck Kligerman for his first win at Mid-Ohio, but the good angel was reminding Smith that Kligerman pushed him to his first win at Daytona in February.

.@zanesmith77: “It was gonna be hard for me to wreck the guy who pushed me to my Daytona win.” #NASCAR

— Chris Knight (@Knighter01) July 9, 2022

Houston, We Have A Power Problem

Kligerman took the lead from pole-sitter Corey Heim on lap 4, just moments before rookie Lawless Alan briefly went off course. He wasn’t the only driver to have issues, though. Mason Filippi stalled off the racing surface to bring out a caution, however, he was able to continue.

Heim, who won the pole Friday with a top speed of 69.181 mph after rain impacted the day, reported a loss of power in his truck as…