"Nothing was staying the same in my life": Parker Retzlaff gets 100% real on career shifts and fresh start with Alpha Prime

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Parker Retzlaff - Source: Imagn

Following two topsy-turvy seasons with Jordan Anderson Racing, Parker Retzlaff signed to race with Alpha Prime Racing for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. He replaced Ryan Ellis at Alpha Prime Racing and had a fresh start in a new season. Now, months after he joined a new team, he touched upon his days at Jordan Anderson Racing and how the switch changed his life.

Retzlaff, born in Wisconsin, is a 21-year-old stock car racing driver. He raced in the ARCA Menards Series and the three national series races — the Truck, Xfinity and the Cup Series.

He debuted in the second tier of stock car racing with RSS Racing in 2022 with the 2022 United Rentals 200 at Phoenix. After a few races, he moved to Our Motorsports, and in 2023, he finally switched to Jordan Anderson Racing.

"Some stuff didn’t match, some stuff wasn’t working,” Retzlaff said of his previous stint with Jordan Anderson Racing (via NASCAR). “I needed a change in my life to be happier from a sponsor’s side and from my side."

After racing a couple of years with Jordan Anderson Racing, he moved to Alpha Prime Racing in 2025 to drive the #4 Chevrolet Camaro SS alongside Brennan Poole in the #44 entry. Speaking about the change and how things were far from stable at JAR, Retzlaff said:

“Nothing was staying the same in my life. I was there for two years, and I didn’t have the same people for two years in a row. They switched every single person both years. I think I had a lot of pieces that could have worked well, but not with so much change in my life."

While Parker Retzlaff raced once in the Truck and twice in the Cup Series, he has participated in 79 Xfinity Series races in over four years, and racked up two pole positions and 12 Top 10s.

How is Parker Retzlaff's 2025 Xfinity Series going?

Parker Retzlaff is currently in 26th place in the Drivers' standings with 80 points after five races. He is yet to pick a win, Top 5 or a Top 10 this season. He faced DNQ once and recorded an average start position of 21.4, with an average finish position of 21.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Parker Retzlaff (4) races during the Hard Rock Bet 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

His best race finish arrived at Phoenix, where he came home in 11th place. Besides the Phoenix Raceway Xfinity race, he finished 29th at Daytona, 27th at Atlanta, 21st at Las Vegas and 17th at Homestead.

Compared to him, his teammate at Alpha Prime Racing, Brennan Poole, raced six times and has amassed 107 points so far. He is currently in 19th place, but without a win, Top 5, or Top 10.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

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Edited by Luke Koshi