Parker Kligerman: NASCAR Driver, Analyst, And Rising Racing Star
Explore the full story of Parker Kligerman—from go-karting in Connecticut to winning on NASCAR tracks. Get detailed insights into his early life, racing career, and journey as a motorsports broadcaster.
Jul 27, 202511.9K Shares265.7K Views
Parker Lindsley Kligerman was born on August 8, 1990, in Westport, Connecticut. He spent his early childhood first in Stamford, then moved to Westportat age 11, where he lived until moving on to racing. When he was about nine years old, his family got cable TV and he saw go-kart racing on the Speed Channel. That sparked his interest in racing.
His parents helped him get into go-karting. A Christmas where he was around age nine or ten, he got a go-kart and began competing at the Norwalk Karting Association, a go‑kart track in a parking lot near his home. Parker raced there for about two and a half years, learning mechanics and racing skills, often working on his own kart more than others. He stood out for his focus and drive even as a young racer.
At age 15, he moved into car racing. He made a deal with his dad: if his dad helped fund one year of car racing, he would take it from there. This led him to compete in the Formula TR Pro Seriesin the Midwest, where he won 11 out of 14 races and the series championship.
Kligerman grew up in a family that valued hard work and support. His mother, Dana, and father, Robert, encouraged him from the start. He also learned early how to work on his own racing equipment, showing a hands‑on attitude that helped shape his future in motorsports.
Racing Career
Parker Kligermanhas raced in all three of NASCAR’s main series: the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Truck Series. He began in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and won his first race in 2012 at Talladega. He added two more Truck wins: one in 2017 at Talladega again, and another at Mid‑Ohio in 2022 while driving for Henderson Motorsports. In the Truck Series, he raced about 120 times over 14 seasons, with 3 wins, 53 top‑ten finishes, and 2 pole positions.
In the Xfinity Series, Parker raced full‑time for Big Machine Racing in 2023 and 2024, driving car No. 48. He earned 29 top‑ten finishes and 12 top‑five finishes in that time. Earlier in his career, he earned ARCA Rookie of the Year in 2009, then moved up to Xfinity and had many strong results, including a best season finish of 9th place in points in 2013.
In the NASCAR Cup Series, Parker raced in about 30 events over six years but did not win or finish in the top ten. Alongside driving, he also worked as an analyst and pit reporter for NBC Sports starting around 2014 and became one of the youngest pit reporters in Cup races.
At the end of the 2024 season, Parker announced he would no longer race full‑time in NASCAR. He said he would still race from time to time, but focus mainly on his broadcasting work. In 2025, he became a part-time Truck Series driver again, racing the No. 75 truck for Henderson Motorsports and also joined Forte Racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship under car No. 78.
One of Parker’s most memorable moments was when he crossed the line first at the 2025 Truck Series opener at Daytona and celebrated by planting a flag in the infield. But NASCAR later disqualified him because his truck did not meet height rules, and the win was given to Corey Heim. Parker said it felt like the biggest win of his life and he planned to appeal the decision.
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