Tag: Red Horse Racing

  • Kligerman to make 100th Truck career start at COTA

    Kligerman to make 100th Truck career start at COTA

    Competing in his 14th season among NASCAR’s top three national touring series, Parker Kligerman is within reach of a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Circuit of the Americas, the part-time competitor of the No. 75 Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST will make his 100th career start in the Truck circuit.

    A native of Stamford, Connecticut, Kligerman made his Truck Series debut at Texas Motor Speedway in October 2010. By then, he was the 2009 ARCA Rookie of the Year and had made 15 career starts in the Xfinity Series between Team Penske and Smith-Ganassi Racing. Driving the No. 29 Dodge Ram for Brad Keselowski Racing, Kligerman started 13th and finished ninth.

    The following season, Kligerman returned to the Truck circuit for a full-time campaign in the No. 29 Dodge Ram for BKR, where he contested for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Throughout the season, his best career result on the track were back-to-back runner-up results at Texas Motor Speedway in June and at Kentucky Speedway in July. He also earned a total of four top-five results and eight top-10 results with an average-finishing result of 15.0 and an 11th-place result in the final standings.

    Kligerman spent the first half of the 2012 Truck season as a driver for BKR, where he earned his third career runner-up result at Dover International Speedway in May along with an additional top-five result and five top-10 results. At the halfway mark, Kligerman departed BKR and joined Red Horse Racing as driver of the No. 7 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra for the remaining half of the 2012 season. In his first five starts with RHR, he earned four top-five results, including two runner-up results. Then at Talladega Superspeedway in October, Kligerman earned his first Truck Series career victory after fending off veteran Johnny Sauter and the field with a multi-truck erupting behind him on the final lap. By then, he was the eighth first-time winner of the 2012 season. Kligerman went on to post sixth runner-up result in the Truck Series at Texas in November before concluding the season in a career-best fifth place in the final standings. 

    During the following two seasons, Kligerman made one start apiece in the Truck Series for BRG Motorsports. In 2013, where he was a full-time Xfinity competitor for Kyle Busch Motorsports, he drove the No. 20 BRG Motorsports Toyota Tundra to a fourth-place result at Talladega in October despite being involved in a multi-truck wreck on the final lap. In 2014, where he started the season as a Cup Series competitor for Swan Racing before being released in April due to ownership issues, he drove the No. 58 BRG Motorsports Toyota Tundra to a 29th-place result at Daytona International Speedway in February after being involved in a late multi-truck wreck.

    Following a one-year absence, Kligerman returned to the Truck Series in 2016 as a driver for Ricky Benton Racing Enterprises, beginning at Daytona. He commenced the season with a strong third-place effort at Daytona and returned for the following seven events in the schedule, where he notched back-to-back eighth-place results at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and at Martinsville Speedway in April. For the remainder of the season, Kligerman drove the No. 05 Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado to a 19th-place result at Kentucky Speedway in July and made two additional starts with RBR Enterprises at Bristol Motor Speedway in August and at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October.

    In 2017, Kligerman returned as a part-time Truck competitor for Henderson Motorsports. By then, he was also serving as a NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series pit reporter for NBC Sports. Despite failing to qualify for the season-opening event at Daytona and finishing 31st at Atlanta, he notched four top-10 results during his next five scheduled starts. Then at Talladega in October, Kligerman fended off the field mixed with Playoff and non-Playoff contenders during a two-lap shootout and when a final lap accident struck behind him to claim his second Truck Series career triumph. By then, he became the fourth competitor to achieve multiple Truck victories at Talladega Superspeedway.

    The following season, Kligerman, who remained with Henderson Motorsports but was unable to return to Victory Lane, competed in eight of 23 races in the schedule, where he achieved a season-best fourth-place result at Bristol in August. 

    After making three starts in 2019 with a season-best result of 10th at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, Kligerman, who remained at Henderson Motorsports for a fourth season, made eight starts in 2020. He earned four top-10 results during his part-time schedule, including a strong fourth-place result at Bristol.

    In 2021, Kligerman and Henderson Motorsports competed in 11 of 22 races in the schedule, where they achieved a total of five top-10 results and a season-best result of fifth place twice (Watkins Glen International in August and at Darlington Raceway in September).

    Through 99 previous starts, Kligerman has achieved two victories, two poles, 20 top-five results, 45 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 14.0. He is coming off a fourth-place run at Daytona in February as he will make his second of select Truck starts this season at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

    Kligerman is scheduled to make his 100th Camping World Truck Series career start at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, March 26, with the event’s coverage to occur at 1 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Ben Kennedy parts company with Red Horse Racing

    Ben Kennedy parts company with Red Horse Racing

    BRISTOL, Tenn.– In case you missed it, Ben Kennedy is looking for a new team for which to race.

    On Friday, Red Horse Racing announced that the driver of the No. 11 Toyota would part ways with the team. They had re-signed him through the 2016 season back in February, but he won’t continue as their driver.

    “We wish Ben all the best in his career,” said team owner Tom DeLoach. “Red Horse Racing will continue to focus on pursuing the championship with Timothy Peters and the No. 17. We expect to field two teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and we will announce further plans as they are confirmed.”

    Kennedy released a statement saying he “[wished] Red Horse Racing and Timothy [Peters] the best for the 2016 season and beyond. I thank them for their support since 2015 as I have enjoyed competing with them. However, I’m interested in pursuing other racing opportunities in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and possibly the NASCAR XFINITY Series. I love NASCAR racing and I’m eager to continue to compete, learn and improve.”

    Since joining Red Horse Racing in 2015, the son of Lesa France Kennedy, grandson of Bill France Jr. and great-grandson of Bill France Sr. amassed eight top-10 finishes and a career best third-place finish on three occasions at Atlanta, Mosport and Las Vegas.

  • Rookie John King wins Crash-Filled NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona

    Rookie John King wins Crash-Filled NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona

    [media-credit name=”Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]When the trucks hit Daytona International Speedway, they’ve been known to create a lot of sparks. This year was no exception as after three green-white-checkereds (GWC, rookie John King took the checkered flag.

    “I’m a rookie – I’m not supposed to be here,” King said afterwards in victory lane. “This is unreal. This Red Horse Racing team is unbelievable. I don’t know what to say. This is a dream come true.”

    A caution with seven to go for Parker Kligermann and others wrecking would set off the chain of GWCs. Kligermann wrecked after Dusty Davis and David Starr squished him in the middle, collecting Bryan Silas and Ross Chastain.

    On the first GWC, it was Jason White leading them to the green, but Johnny Sauter taking the lead with help from Ron Hornaday, before dropping down inline on the bottom in front of White. Sauter looked to have the win in hand before a caution came out before the field took the white flag when Brad Keselowski wrecked. Clay Greenfield got into the back of Keselowski, turning him into Rick Crawford. Rookie Max Gresham was also collected in the wreck with significant damage.

    On the restart, Sauter looked to have the win in hand again as he pulled ahead with help from King. However, coming to get the white flag, King turned Sauter into the outside wall, collecting Brendan Gaughan, Starr, Grant Enfinger, Matt Crafton, Nelson Piquet Jr., Chris Fontaine and Ryan Seig.

    “It was substainable help,” Sauter said of the contact he got from King to send him around. “He’s obviously getting help from behind – that’s Bodine, typically known for driving over his head at these places.”

    “I apologize to Johnny Sauter,” King said. “I shouldn’t have been there. I closed up real fast. … I couldn’t get off of him.”

    The field then restarted for the final attempt at a green flag finish with King leading Todd Bodine, Timothy Peters and Joey Coulter. On the restart, Bodine and Coulter didn’t get a good start on the outside, causing them to drop back through the field as King pulled out to the lead with help from Peters. Coming to get the white flag while Coulter and Bodine were trying to mount a charge back to the front, James Buecher would turn Coulter into the outside wall. The contact would cause Coulter to go airbourne and make contact with the catch fence. Coulter were emerge from the crash with no injuries, while a track spokesperson reported two fans were injured but would be okay.

    Coulter’s wreck would hand the win to King, who was making his eighth Camping World Truck Series start.

    King’s Red Horse Racing teammate Timothy Peters would be credited with second for his third top-10 at Daytona.

    “It was an action-packed night,” Peters said. “We were fortunate enough to keep our nose clean all night long. That right there is what it’s all about, seeing that boy right there celebrating in Victory Lane.  That’s a special place.  It couldn’t have been a better night for Red Horse Racing as a company, 1-2 finish, Todd coming in fifth.

    “Can’t say enough about my guys, Butch Hylton, guys on pit row, Service Central, Tire Kingdom, Toyota Tundra, Joe Gibbs Engine.  It was an awesome night tonight.  These guys worked hard on our truck since we left Daytona last year. We got some momentum.  It’s showing.  We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with in year.”

    Justin Lofton would be scored in third to score his first top-10 at Daytona.

    “It was an exciting one,” he said. “I mean, we had a game plan of sticking to the bottom.  Unfortunately our teammates were taken out halfway through the race.  Team owner (Eddie Sharp) was spotting for me also.  That definitely helps a lot.  It was a really cool run.  We had good pit stops all night.  We played the right strategy.  Eddie kept me calm.  When they would get that run on the outside, I wanted to drive up there, but he kept me down.  We found ourselves in the right place at the right time.  I tried to push Timothy to get us in a better position.”

    Travis Kvapil , who found out just a couple weeks before Daytona that he’d be racing, came home in the fourth position.

    “All the credit goes to Robby Benton and the RAB racing team,” he says. “They brought me a solid Toyota Tundra tonight. We just kept it out of trouble. We knew we had a strong truck – just kept out of trouble, made the right moves at the right time. To come out of here with a top five finish makes me really happy.”

    Jason White would round out the top five, followed by Todd Bodine, Chris Fontaine, Ward Burton, Ty Dillon and Clay Greenfield. Dillon was able to come home with a ninth-place finish after barely dodging the wrecks at the end.

    “Going into tonight, we knew it was going to be a wild night and we just wanted to finish the race,” the rookie said. “We played it a little conservative – it hurt us a bit. Felt like I was a magnet tonight. We had a strong truck, could do whatever we wanted, and we’d make it to the end.”

    The three wrecks at the end weren’t the only action for the night, as there was action for fans from top to bottom.

    On lap seven, Paulie Harraka got sideways and shot up into Jason Leftler, taking him out, while Dakota Armstrong wrecked behind them.

    “It’s just too good to be true,” Leftler said afterwards. “The truck was really good. The truck was fast. Kind of just sitting there, couldn’t get anybody to work with me that early in the race. It just happens. I don’t know what happened, the No. 5 (Harraka) just shot up into me. The next race is at Rockingham and there’s no question that I’ll be quick there.”

    On lap 60, eventual race winner King moved up to the track, hitting Cale Gale, turning him and collected TJ Duke, Matt Crafton, Mike Skinner and J.R. Fitzpatrick.

    “Can’t teach patience,” Skinner said afterwards. “You can’t teach people how to drive racecars; they obviously are great racecar drivers. I’m not going to blame Cale for that; I wish he would’ve just rode behind us. I was running half-throttle, the other veterans were running half-throttle; they were just running all over.”

    “It’s just one of those things,” Gale said. “We got a little behind in a fuel window there, came back on track and were trying to move up. I don’t know what happened there. I tried to be patience. I was to the point of ‘Do I need to ride and wait it out?’. I guess it’s just our fault.”

    Pole Sitter Miguel Paludo wouldn’t find much luck as with 30 laps to go, he would make hard contact with the inside wall after getting loose behind teammate Nelson Piquet Jr.

    “That was a hard hit for sure, I lost my breath,” Paludo said. “All in all, it was a good day for us. Got the pole, led some laps. Just got loose up there; I had been loose all day. Just so proud of my guys, having all three Turner Motorsports trucks up there. We’re going to win some races this year.”

    The next race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is in five weeks at Martinsville Speedway.

  • NextEra Energy Resources 250 Lap-By-Lap

    NextEra Energy Resources 250 Lap-By-Lap

    [media-credit name=”daytonainternationalspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”274″][/media-credit]At the end of the NextEra Energy Resources 250, it was rookie John King scoring his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win.

    Lap 1: Miguel Paludo leads lap 1 with teammate James Buescher in toe.

    Lap 9: Top 8 are single file as Paludo continues to lead Buescher around. From ninth on back, they are side-by-side.

    Lap 17 – Jason Leftler, Paulie Harraka, Dakota Armstrong wreck – Paulie Harraka got sideways and shot up into Leftler with Armstrong wrecking behind them. Pit stops – Paludo the first truck off of pit road

    Restart as Paludo starts on the inside with Joey Coulter to his outside

    Lap 28 – the top four, Paludo, Buescher, Brad Keselowski and Jason White, are single file while the rest of the back runs side-by-side

    Lap 35 – Top 15 are single file as Paludo continues to lead Buescher, Keselowski and White.

    Lap 40 – Top 3 are single file (Paludo, Buescher, Keselowski) while White and Mike Skinner are side-by-side for fourth

    Lap 42 Caution for debris…..pit stops….Paludo leads Buescher, White, Brendan Gaughan, Keselwoski and Hornaday

    Restart on Lap 47 as James Buescher takes the lead after Gaughan gives him a good push on the outside. Buescher drops down in front of his teammate, Paludo.

    Caution on Lap 50 as there is debris on the race track, which fell off of Armstrong’s truck. Some trucks choose to make pit stops and add fuel. Most drivers choosing to stay out as they are not in their fuel window, yet.

    Restart lap 55 – Miguel Paludo now leads Buescher on the bottom as White runs third

    Lp 60 – Top nine are single file, and then the field is double-file from 10th on back as Paludo leads Buescher, White and Justin Lofton

    Caution Lap 62 – Cale Gale, TJ Duke, Matt Crafton, Mike Skinner wreck. John King moves up the race track into Cale Gale, collecting others behind them. J.R. Fitzpatrick also caught some damage as he’s going to need to replace the rad……..Pit stops: James Buescher first off pit road, followed by Miguel Paludo

    Restart 32 to go as Buscher leads the field to green and jumps out in front with help from Brendan Gaughan.

    31 to go Nelson Piquet Jr and Miguel Paludo finds their way back up the outside and slot down infront of Buescher.

    30 to go Top five are single file – Piquet Jr, Paludo, Buescher, Brendan Gaughan and Travis Kvapil. Jason White and Joey Coulter run side-by-side for sixth.

    24 to go Top-three Turner Motorsports trucks are single-file – Piquet Jr., Paludo, Buescher – while White is side-by-side with Gaughan for fourth. The top 10 are Piquet Jr., Paludo, Buescher, Gaughan, Kravil, White, Ron Hornaday, Todd Bodine, Coulter and Johnny Sauter.

    17 to go White has brought that outside line to line-up with leader, Piquet Jr., to battle for the lead

    16 to go Caution as Miguel Paludo makes hard contact with the inside wall coming out of turn 4. Piquet Jr. weaved slightly back and forth, Paludo went to move to not hit him and lost the track. Chris Cockrum hit the debris, putting a big hole in the left front corner. As the incident happened, White took the lead so he is the new leader

    Restart 10 to go as White and Piquet Jr. are side-by-side for the lead

    9 to go White continues to lead as Piquet heads up so its now Buescher and Sauter side-by-side for second

    8 to go White and Buescher are side-by-side for the lead as the whole field is two-by-two

    7 to go White and Sauter lead as Hornaday and Buescher are side-by-side for third

    Caution 7 to go Parker Kligermann got sideways and spun, collecting Bryan Silas, Ross Chastain, David Starr – Dusty Davis came down as Starr slightly moved up, squishing Kligermann in the middle and sending him around. Jason White leads Johnny Sauter, John King, Ron Hornaday, Todd Bodine, Brendan Gaughan, Joey Coulter, Justin Lofton, Travis Kvapil and Timothy Peters.

    Green-White-Checkered will be the name of the game as drivers try to conserve as much fuel as possible.

    Green flag comes out and its Jason White and Johnny Sauter side-by-side for the lead

    In turn 1, Johnny Sauter to the lead after help from Ron Hornaday – Sauter drops down in front of White and takes the lead.

    Caution comes out as Brad Keselowski, Max Gresham, Rick Crawford wreck. Clay Greenfield gets into the back of Keselowski, turning him down the track into Crawford. The field did not take the white flag so there will be another green white checkered.

    Green flag……Sauter and John King pull ahead coming out of turn two

    Caution: John King turns Johnny Sauter into the outside wall, collecting Brendan Gaughan, David Starr, Joey Coulter, Grant Enfinger, Matt Crafton, Nelson Piquet Jr., Chris Fontaine, Ryan Seig. The incident came together in combination when Sauter came up to block while King tried to figure out what to do with the run that he got after being pushed by Todd Bodine. They did not take the white flag so there will be a third and final attempt at a green-white-checkered……..King, Bodine, Peters, Coulter

    Green flag……The top four are single file down the backstraightaway with King leading over Peters.

    Caution comes out as Buescher turns Coulter and sends him up into the catch fence on the final lap, giving John King the win.