Connor Zilisch’s reaction and Parker Kligerman’s – Sports News
NASCAR’s Xfinity Series Daytona race noticed semi-retired driver Parker Kligerman unexpectedly win Friday night time’s Wawa 250, regardless of not even beginning the occasion within the No. 88 car as half of a deliberate and strategic determination.
Kligerman stepped into JR Motorsports’ No. 88 mid-race for group proprietor Dale Earnhardt Jr and driver Connor Zilisch, who gave up the car simply 14 laps in whereas defending a surgically repaired collarbone after falling from the roof of his car in celebration of his victory at Watkins Glen one week prior. He joked in regards to the predetermined swap online whereas posing in his official JR Motorsports racing go well with, which Zilisch generally wears on race days.
Hours later, Kligerman, who was doing commentary work earlier within the yr, was declared the winner after surviving a huge late-race crash that collected almost a dozen automobiles. The race-defining wreck occurred between Turns 3 and 4, scattering contenders and giving Kligerman a clear path to the highest.
Justin Allgaier made one ultimate push aided by a shove from Sammy Smith, however the Connecticut native held regular because the warning flag waved. NASCAR froze the sphere with Kligerman in entrance to seal his unbelievable victory.
It was solely his sixth begin of the season and his first within the Xfinity Series since stepping away from full-time competitors. The 35-year-old has been working part-time Truck Series entries for Henderson Motorsports this yr, with 14th-place finishes at Bristol and Charlotte.
The victory will probably be formally credited to Zilisch, who nonetheless earns the race factors. But beneath NASCAR guidelines, playoff factors go to the motive force who begins the race. That means Zilisch good points no postseason bonus for the outcome regardless of being listed because the winner.
The scenario was so uncommon that NASCAR’s dwell updates continued to record Zilisch within the car long after Kligerman had taken over. JR Motorsports had predetermined the swap to guard Zilisch’s restoration whereas sustaining his factors lead.
None of that stopped Zilisch from celebrating excitedly like he was behind the wheel. He wrote, “Big Kligerman fan,” adopted by a teary-eyed emoji, earlier than sprinting down pit highway from his pit view seat to embrace his substitute at No. 88.
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“I’m still going to count it as a win and keep the checkered flag,” Kligerman humbly stated after the race. “I guess I am a good part-time guy.”
For Kligerman, the Daytona achievement was one more asterisk in his profession on the venue. He had two first-place finishes on the monitor in 2025, however neither went into the file books.
His Truck Series victory in February’s Fresh From Florida 250 was erased after his No. 75 Chevrolet failed post-race inspection for low experience peak.
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