BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Parker Kligerman doesn't have a multitude of playoff points to his name as he enters the 2024 Xfinity Series playoffs. What he does have in ample supply is confidence built by his team's willingness to fight through adversity.
Kligerman was unable to contend for a top-10 finish at Bristol on Friday night due to multiple issues. He still left the track feeling confident about his playoff chances.
"Wasn't our cleanest night," Kligerman told AltDriver on pit road after the race. "That's probably the farthest off we've been in a while, and we still probably could have netted a top 10 with a little cleaner night.
"That's what championship-caliber teams are made of."
This was a night that featured an early equipment interference penalty under caution. Kligerman then went for a long slide across the track after the No. 44 hit him from behind. The rear of the No. 48 touched the wall, but Kligerman's car did not sustain significant damage.
After that, his night featured an ill-handling car that came close to causing a caution on multiple occasions.
.@pkligerman HOW?!! 😮 pic.twitter.com/dpR3DhqLKi
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 21, 2024
"I think it was a lot of luck that I saved it, maybe an ounce of skill," Kligerman said about his slide. "We had, at times, a pretty good car -- top 10, whatever.
"At the end of stage 2, we were hanging on for dear life, so loose. I mean, just so loose. I couldn't believe I didn't spin out in front of the field."
Multiple drivers saw Kligerman struggling and let it be known that they wanted to pass him. Cole Custer hit him from behind multiple times as Kligerman fought for points at the end of stage 2. Others followed suit, including a Hall of Famer.
"Even Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) hit me into the last corner coming to the checker," Kligerman said. "I was like, 'What the hell, Dale? We used to be coworkers.'"
The night was far from uneventful for Kligerman and Big Machine Racing. However, he still locked up a spot in the driver's playoffs while the No. 48 secured a spot in the owner's playoffs.
Kligerman now has the opportunity to fight for a championship in his final season as a full-time driver. The path to the Championship 4 will not be simple, especially considering that he enters the playoffs 12 points below the cutline with only one playoff point.
This spot on the leaderboard is not too much of a concern for Kligerman. Instead, he just sees ample opportunity ahead of him. After all, he gets to compete at Kansas, Talladega, and the Charlotte Roval. These are tracks where he has been in contention during his time in the Xfinity Series.
Kligerman also has two Talladega wins in the Craftsman Truck Series.
"I think we have a great round for us in the first round, a great set of tracks," Kligerman said. "We can surprise some people and go make it in the second round. And then all bets are off to make the Championship 4.
"...I think we can do it. I've seen crazier things happen in this sport on the broadcast side for the last 10 years. I think everyone here believes we can do it, and if we're our best, we absolutely can."