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Parker Kligerman was two feet away from taking the white flag as leader and winning the Drive to Cure 250 race at Charlotte Roval under caution. However, NASCAR's controversial timing destroyed the Big Machine Racing driver's career-first Xfinity Series win.
The Round of 12 finale was hosted by the reconfigured Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course and witnessed a complete turnaround. On Lap 66, Leland Honeyman slammed his car into the tire barrier and got stuck.
The incident was sure to prompt a caution but the officials took over 20 seconds to make that call. The delay in waving the yellow flag confused many but the drivers continued their pursuit of Round of 8 advancement.
Kligerman, who had a poor qualifying and started 22nd, surged to the top and was inches from the start/finish line to take the white flag as the leader.
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However, at that very moment, the caution button was pressed and the Big Machine Racing driver's excruciatingly close win got robbed.
NASCAR insider Matt Weaver was 'frustrated' by the officials' indecisiveness despite Honeyman's #42 Chevy 'buried' in the tire barrier. He tweeted his dismay about the Charlotte controversy: (via X).
"NASCAR had at least 20 seconds to call that caution before they did. He wasn't getting out. The car was buried. Why they waited until the leader was coming to take the checkered is the frustratingly puzzling part," Weaver wrote.
After Charlotte's disappointment, Parker Kligerman's winless streak has now extended to 118.
"This hurts" - Parker Kligerman comments on NASCAR's Charlotte call that shattered his victory prospects
The Big Machine Racing driver has made 117 starts in NASCAR's National Series. He has collected 15 top-5s and 51 top-10s but is yet to see his #48 Chevy parked in the victory lane. And that opportunity had arrived at Charlotte.
However, as he didn't hit the stripe before the yellow was waved, an overtime restart happened, where JR Motorsports' Sam Mayer bested Parker Kligerman to clinch his second victory this season. For Mayer, it was among his best days, as he was in a must-win situation after getting disqualified at Talladega the previous week.
Exactly a month ago, Parker Kligerman announced retiring from full-time racing, and four races are left for the Big Machine Racing driver to retire with an Xfinity race-win trophy in his cabinet.
After jumping out of his car, the "hurt" Kligerman reflected on his 72-lap run and his desire to "really want that" triumph. He said (via NASCAR):
“This hurts. I said on the cooldown lap I want to cry, but I won’t, and it’s gotten close a couple times as I think about it. I just, I’ve really loved doing this, and I’ve been so grateful to have the opportunity to be here and to be at this level and to make a career doing this. And I just love the intensity and the pressure. And I really, really wanted that," Kligerman said.
NASCAR's call didn't sit well with former driver Kenny Wallace and he slammed the officials for destroying Kligerman's win.
