Kligerman Perseveres to Score 11th Place Finish at Martinsville

Simon | April 5, 2012

MARTINSVILLE, VA – Parker Kligerman, driver of the No. 29 Brad Keselowski RAM in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), finished 11th in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday afternoon. After battling in the top-10 for much of the race, the No. 29 BKR machine was involved in one of Martinsville’s notorious “accordion” accidents when the field unexpectedly slowed entering turn three and stacked-up multiple trucks. A late trip to pit road to fix the damage dropped Kligerman outside the top-10.

Following Saturday’s result, Kligerman and the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing team are 7th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver/owner point standings, only 16 points behind the leader.

The No. 29 Draw-Tite RAM will visit Rockingham Speedway on Sunday, April 15, 2012, for the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200. Live coverage will begin at 12:30 pm ET on SPEED. The race will also be heard on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 90.

Kligerman began the 250-lap event from the 15th position after posting a lap of 20.052 seconds, or 94.434 miles per hour, during the Saturday morning qualifying session. Due to morning rain the track was washed of any rubber, and the unseasonably warm temperature dramatically changed the handling of the race truck from their last practice on Friday. After his qualifying efforts Kligerman said, “The truck was extremely tight in the center [of the corner], I had to wait on [the truck] to point before returning to the throttle”.

Martinsville is an extremely physical short track. The low lane is the ideal racing line, and trucks will use their fenders to get there. Unfortunately starting in the middle of the field with an ill-handling race truck Kligerman was in a challenging situation from the start.

A single truck spin brought out the first caution of the race on lap 20. Kligerman described his Cooper Standard RAM as loose while setting up the turn but neutral in the center of the corner. His biggest challenge was returning to the throttle on exit of the turn. In order to maintain track position crew chief Doug Randolph made the call to stay out under caution.

By lap 40 the lead pack of trucks began lapping the rear of the field. The track became very congested, the front and rear bumpers of many trucks were starting to show the results of rough short track racing. Kligerman was doing all he could to advance through the field, but lack of space on the race track kept him in the 10th position.

An accident in turn three brought out the second caution of the event on lap 74. This caution was timely for the No. 29 Cooper Standard team. The truck had become unbearably tight in the center of the corner. Kligerman brought the truck to pit road for fuel, four fresh tires and a major chassis adjustment in the attempt to help the truck turn in the center of the corner. Despite all the changes the BKR pit crew executed a flawless stop, gaining two spots on pit road.

The adjustments alleviated some of the tightness but the truck was still not rotating the center. Kligerman stayed in the top-10, continuously battling for the 8th position until pitting on lap 158. Crew chief Doug Randolph made another large chassis adjustment to try and free the car up on entry into the corner. The 29 Cooper Standard RAM fell back to the 12th position still fighting a tight race truck.

With six laps to go in the event the field abruptly stacked up in turn three and four. With nowhere to escape the No. 29 Cooper Standard RAM was sandwiched between two of his competitors. This caused the hood to be bent upwards to a vertical position blocking the windshield. Kligerman, without the ability to see the racetrack, had to bring the truck to pit road for some quick repairs to the hood. He dropped to the last truck on the lead lap with five laps to go.

With a damaged front and rear bumper Kligerman drove the No. 29 Cooper Standard RAM to an 11th place finish. “We fought a tight truck all day,” Kligerman said after the race. “I think we were fast enough to run in the top-5, but with the way the truck was handling there was no way to get my way up there.”

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