LEXINGTON, Ohio (AP) — Part-time driver Parker Kligerman held off points leader Zane Smith to win the NASCAR Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday.
Kligerman led 56 of the 67 laps on the 2.258-mile circuit, winning by 0.119 seconds in the No. 75 Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet. It was his third career win in the series and first in five years.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Kligerman said. “I was pretty emotional on the cool-down lap because this whole team it’s like a team of second chances. Two years ago, I thought my driving days were done. This team gave me a call, wanting to get back racing and it’s just been a steady improvement.”
Carson Hocevar was third, and Stewart Friesen and Christian Eckes completed the top five.
Kligerman collected an extra $50,000 payday in the final race of the Triple Truck Challenge bonus program.
Kligerman led 17 of 20 laps to take the Stage 1 win. Smith edged Kligerman for the Stage 2 victory, inching past him on the segment’s final lap.
Corey Heim started from the pole and led three laps from the start and remained solidly among the top five until his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota lost power with seven laps left. That led to a final restart with three laps remaining.
Trackhouse Racing co-owner Justin Marks made his first start in the series since 2018. Marks, a former Mid-Ohio winner in the Xfinity Series, finished 31st in the 36-truck field. His day ended after his No. 41 Niece Motorsports truck crashed into the Turn 4 tire barrier with 18 laps remaining.
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