MARTINSVILLE, Va. – There won’t be any more ride-sharing for Big Machine Racing in 2023.
On Saturday at Martinsville, team owner Scott Borchetta revealed that Parker Kligerman has been hired as the full-time driver of the No. 48 Big Machine Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2023.
RELATED: Kligerman's driver page | 2023 NXS schedule Big Machine Racing joined the Xfinity Series in 2021, with Jade Buford as the primary driver. This season, the No. 48 team has divided up the schedule among 10 drivers, including Buford, Marco Andretti and a host of Cup Series regulars. Tyler Reddick delivered Big Machine its first win earlier this year, prevailing in May at Texas Motor Speedway.Kligerman ran one race in the car this season, starting ninth and finishing sixth at Talladega Superspeedway. While doubling as a TV analyst and pit reporter for NASCAR on NBC, Kligerman also competed in 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events for owner Charlie Henderson, winning the July race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
“The mission has always been to be with one driver and build the race team,” said Borchetta. “Parker brings experience and a huge desire to do this, and that was our first conversation: ‘Hey, do you still have the fire to go and run for a championship?’”
Kligerman’s answer was an enthusiastic “Yes.”
The tipping point for Kligerman was the Talladega race.
“This happened so fluidly, so seamlessly — it felt like when we did Talladega, it was just so seamless,” Kligerman said. “And the short span from talking to signing was quick. We were all aligned with the same goals, the same thought process…
“For me, in my career right now, I’ve told everybody that will listen, in the last two years, I’ve never driven better in my life.”
As his schedule permits, Kligerman also will continue to race the No. 75 truck for Henderson. The 32-year-old driver delivered the Abingdon, Virginia-based team both of its Truck Series wins -- a 2017 victory at Talladega Superspeedway in addition to his triumph this year at Mid-Ohio.
Kligerman's only full-time Xfinity Series campaign was a 2013 run for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Contributing: Staff reports