Penske’s dev. driver Kligerman signs with Team 42 Racing
Kligerman, 19, will compete in at least the first five series races for the Eddie Smith-owned team, with the possibility of entering more events this season.
“We believe Parker has a bright future in NASCAR and, like many young drivers, what he needs most right now is experience," said Tim Cindric, President of Penske Racing. “This is a great opportunity for him to continue his development in the Nationwide Series. We are fortunate to be able to align with Eddie’s organization to further develop Parker’s potential."
In 2009, Kligerman joined Penske Racing’s driver development program. Working with crew chief Chris Carrier in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, Kligerman posted a series-high nine victories last season while finishing a close second in the championship standings. He earned the chance to compete at the Nationwide Series level with the Penske team and won the pole at Kansas Speedway in his team and series debut before he produced a 16th-place finish in the race.
The relationship with the Eddie Smith team began at the 2009 Nationwide Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Kligerman drove the No. 42 Dodge in his second series race and finished in 25th place.
“I am really looking forward to competing in the first five races of the season in the No. 42 Nationwide Series Dodge," said Kligerman. “It is so important for me to continue to learn and develop at this stage of my career and I’m excited that I can continue to work with Penske Racing and hopefully get off to a strong start in 2010 with Team 42 Racing so we can position ourselves for more races this year."
Carrier, who brings more than 20 years of experience as a NASCAR crew chief, will continue to call the shots for Kligerman as crew chief for Team 42 Racing.
“Everyone at Team 42 is thrilled to be working with an up-and-coming driver like Parker," said Eddie Smith, owner of Team 42 Racing. “He has a lot of talent and we will work hard to make sure we get solid results for the team."