NASCAR Reporter Denies “Fan Boy Charm” Claim Behind the Secret to Getting a Laugh Out of Kimi Raikkonen at Watkins Glen

Being one of the most media aloof celebrities in the world. Kimi Raikkonen has always preferred to be away from interviews and cameras. However, Parker Kligerman, pit reporter for NASCAR on NBC, has brought out a different side to the Iceman.

Kimi Raikkonen is a retired F1 driver who became a part of the American motorsport NASCAR this year. He made his Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen and showed a different version of himself. So much so that even fans pointed out that the Finn might not have spoken this much in his entire F1 career.

In an NBC podcast on Spotify, we hear Parker Kligerman talk about his interview with the Finland international that the fans can’t have enough of.

Talking about it, Kligerman stated, “I went with the familiar tactics since I’ve started this, and I will continue to lead into for as long as I do this. Which is… I asked drivers about driving.”

“Sometimes you just ask about driving. They’re right, they will not open up and I was resisting the urge to put on the full fan boy charm, but I tried to be professional.

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“You know he’s super cool and I’ve got some cool photos,” further asserted the American racing driver.

Kimi Raikkonen’s NASCAR journey from F1

After he departed from Formula 1, the Finland international made his debut at Watkins Glen last Sunday. It was a special occasion not only because a former F1 star raced in NASCAR but also because the race at Watkins Glen featured drivers from seven different nationalities.

Before the race on Sunday, Raikkonen had a lot of things to share. The former Ferrari driver stated, “I wish it had been more laps, and it just felt like there’s a lot of potential, but you know I’m not sure which line to take and just not enough laps to put everything together.”

“Yeah, it was fun I mean quite a lot what I expected after the simulator. Obviously there’s always a difference but the fine details are never shown in a simulator, but at least I knew the track. I needed to be a bit more… It’s good.” the 2007 F1 World Champion concluded.

During his F1 career, the Finn managed to take part in 353 races over 19 years. Among them, he had 21 wins, 103 podiums, 18 pole positions, and 1 F1 driver’s championship in 2007. One of the most successful drivers of all time, Raikkonen will always be a respected driver from the fans’ perspective.