Parker Kligerman at 8:40 pm ET on Monday, May 30, 2016 Photo – ARS
Parker Kligerman is our guest on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk on Monday, May 30, 2016 at 8:40 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite or @beberly18 with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.
Consecutive Win Marks Cunningham’s 30th ARCA Series Victory
Count that as two in a row for ARCA Racing Series team, Cunningham Motorsports after Myatt Snider won at Toledo last weekend, Parker Kligerman took the No. 22 to Victory Lane this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the Twilight 150 presented by Unique Pretzels.
Returning to the team that gave him his “first stock car chance,” Kligerman won in a dominating way after he was fastest in both practice sessions, took the pole by more than a second and led 56 of 67 laps. This is Kligerman’s tenth career ARCA win.
“I’m on cloud nine,” Kligerman said. “This has been a banner day in my life and in my career. It’s been such a long drought for me…it feels so good to get back to victory lane. I feel especially good for Cunningham Motorsports. I wouldn’t be anywhere in this business without the Cunningham organization. They believed in me when no one else did.”
In 2008, Kligerman ran his first ARCA race at the same 2.3-mile road course and the next season, he raced full-time with Cunningham Motorsports, finishing second to his then teammate Patrick Long. Although, Kligerman won nine times that season, heading into this weekend, there was an undeniable feeling, the track owed him one. Another goal on his list was to finally earn the pole starting position – checking that off his bucket list. Check for the pole and check for the victory – it was a fulfilling weekend for Kligerman and Cunningham Motorsports.
When the green flag flew, the 26-year-old Westport, Connecticut native set sail and never looked back, losing the lead only 11 laps before crossing the finish line for the victory. It was a hometown win for Kligerman.
“I live three hours away…this is my home track. I love this place…love road course racing. I made my first ARCA start here. This truly is a wonderful day for me, personally.”
Kligerman gave thanks to co-owners Briggs Cunningham and Kerry Scherer for believing him now and then, as an 18-year-old rising star in the sport of racing.
“This win’s for them. I can’t thank car owners Kerry Scherer and Briggs Cunningham enough for this opportunity,” said Kligerman. “This is truly incredible to return to this organization and grab them another ‘W’. And to think it took seven years for me to win my first ARCA Series’ pole! It was a fun, fun day.”
Challenging the eventual winner late in the race, Tom Hessert cut two seconds off Kligerman’s four-second lead, finishing second. Dalton Sargeant, finished third, after fighting hard in his ARCA road course debut. Sargeant raced to second inside of ten laps, but fell back to third in the end. Finishing fourth in his ARCA road course debut, was Kligerman’s Cunningham Motorsports’ teammate, Chase Briscoe. David Levine, in his first ARCA start this season, finished fifth.
Four cautions for 24 laps slowed the average speed of the race to 72.261 mph. The race took two hours and five minutes to complete.
The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards travels next to Pocono Raceway for the General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 Friday, June 3, with coverage on FOX Sports 1. Before the race, ARCA has an open test on the 2.5-mile Pocono triangle Tuesday, May 31. Several composite body cars are taking part in the open test.