Parker Kligerman is yet another addition to a long list of drivers who faced heartbreak at Daytona International Speedway. The Henderson Motorsports driver was delivered with a gut-wrenching verdict after the race that ultimately overshadowed his heroics. Henderson Motorsports shared a sweet message to their fans before the verdict, celebrating Kligerman’s achievement. However, they didn’t expect their glee to be short-lived. After winning the race from the 23rd position, Kligerman was disqualified following a post-race inspection, leaving the team and driver in shock.

Henderson Motorsports is a small team with just one full-time driver. They have been operating since the 1980s and raced over 400 races across NASCAR’s three national series. However, they have just picked up a measly five wins. So Kligerman’s win at Daytona would have been a significant milestone in the team’s history. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t roll over and submit when Kligerman was disqualified.

Parker Kligerman’s team voiced their concerned 

It was on Feb 14th when the No.75 Chevrolet Silverado kick-started the Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250 at the Daytona International Speedway from the 23rd position. Throughout the 100-lap race on the 2.5-mile tri-oval speedway, there were 8 caution flags, destroying many drivers. Kligerman, however, seemed destined for a different fate as he crossed the finish line ahead of the rest. Happiness filled the team’s lodge, as they wasted no minute and expressed their kindred gratitude to everyone.

Henderson Motorsports took it to X and wrote, “Just want to say “Thank you” for all of the kind messages we’ve received so far. We’re a small team with only one full-time employee and a bunch of part-timers/volunteers who have a genuine love for this sport. Your support makes all of the hard work we put in well worth it.” The moment this tweet was aired, the fans welcomed this news with their candid wishes. However, it was all just a matter of an hour. 

The reason? A ride height violation, found during post-race inspection, disqualified Kligerman’s victory. Despite this setback, the underdog team stood with their strong determination and gave the recent update on their challenging side. They wrote, “OFFICIAL UPDATE: We’ve decided to appeal the disqualification of our #75 Truck from yesterday evening’s NCTS Race at Daytona.”

This was a painful situation for the team, who just a few hours before shared how much this victory meant to them after their relentless efforts. On the other hand, NASCAR wasted no second and announced their new winner, the runner-up of the race, Corey Heim from TRICON Garage, and Parker Kligerman didn’t just lose his victory tag but slid from his winner position to last at 36th place.

Although this has also been an unexpected part for Corey Heim, he expressed a mixed emotion as he stated, “Well, it’s my first time having this kind of scenario happening either way, so certainly glad to be on the right side of it,” Heim further said. “It sucks for Parker and those guys. It seemed like they put themselves in a position at the right time to win the race, but obviously, there is another level to it after the race. Grateful to be in the spot to take advantage of that.” With the end of this dramatic event, the 22-year-old marked his 11th victory in the Truck Series. 

However, a different story unfolded for Parker Kligerman. Who not only lost the victory that he had within his grasp but his words reflected the disappointment and valid emotions he felt after the disqualification.

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What are Kligerman’s views on his disqualification?

Kligerman expressed gratitude for the support he received, and acknowledged his fans’ appreciation, but refrained from further comment, signaling the deep sense of injustice he felt and the team’s determination to appeal what they believe to be a legitimate case. As he took the matter to the X and wrote, “Biggest win of my life. Thank you all for the wonderful messages. Over 700 texts…I will not be commenting any further until we are able to present what I believe is a very, very valid case. Until then, I’m fully focused on my job with @TheCW_Sports and @NASCAR_Xfinity because the drivers and teams deserve the full focus on the massive stage ahead of them.”

The Henderson team believes the disqualification is not just fair and should be reconsidered. It’s not just them, but many argue that the penalty overlooks the hard work and effort put in during the race, especially given the unpredictable nature of racing at Daytona, where minor damages can occur.

This is also not the first time Kligerman has gone into such a situation, the last time was in the Xfinity Series. Last October, at the Charlotte Roval, Kligerman he had the potential to win but things changed with NASCAR signaling the caution flag quietly at a distance before he made it to the finish line. But the restart again swapped his victory luck, placing him in fifth and ultimately resulting in an elimination from the playoffs. 

Do you think Parker Kligerman should have been awarded the win? Let us know in the comments below.