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[/media-credit]Kligerman Powers RAM to Runner-Up Finish in Truck Series Race at Dover
BKR’s Kligerman Only 22 Points from Points Lead
DOVER, Del. (Friday, June 1, 2012) – Mother Nature and pit strategy were the stories at this afternoon’s rain-shortened NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Dover International Speedway. RAM’s Parker Kligerman used key pit strategy mid-race to take advantage of nine caution flags to score a second-place finish, his first top-five of the season in his No. 29 Cooper Standard RAM. The race was scheduled for 200-laps but a steady rain and impending darkness halted the event on lap 147.
“We had a really fast Cooper Standard RAM,” Kligerman said. “We were fast. We were just biding our time. We figured that the race would probably get to halfway with the rain moving in.”
Kligerman was the victim of a four-truck pile-up on Lap 27 after being collected on a restart between Turns 3 and 4. Needing to pit for minor repairs, Kligerman lost precious track position and fell 14 positions to 25th-place while the leaders opted not to pit during the early caution.
“The 27 (Jeb Burton) and 33 (Cale Gale) got together and moved up the track and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Kligerman added.
Kligerman gained 18 positions over the next 45 laps, driving up through the field and into sixth-place on Lap 76 with his sights on the leaders.
“I was angry and drove with my hair on fire. I raced through the field and got all the way up to sixth and decided to get fuel.”
Pit strategy was key for the Doug Randolph led RAM team. After the fifth caution flew on lap 97, Randolph choose to pit and take on four tires and fuel while the race leaders chose a two-tire and fuel strategy.
The decision paid off. Only 12 laps later as the race was red-flagged for over 15 minutes due to rain and Kligerman’s team pounced on the opportunity, leveraging the earlier pit strategy. The leaders pitted just before the race went back green allowing Kligerman to gain six positions and the track position he needed.
“We did opposite of everyone else hoping that the weather would work in our favor,” Kligerman said. “Doug Randolph (crew chief) did a great job figuring out strategy and watching the weather. We had a fast Cooper Standard RAM. Once we got the track position we were able to keep it despite the damage we had to the front end.”
Restarting third, Kligerman raced eventual winner Todd Bodine hard for the lead but couldn’t find a way around his rival. With his runner-up finish, Kligerman remains fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 22 markers behind the leader Justin Lofton.
Race Results NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 Dover International Speedway June 1, 2012
1. Todd Bodine 2. PARKER KLIGERMAN 3. Kevin Harvick 4. Nelson Piquet Jr. 5. Cale Gale 6. Ty Dillon 7. James Buescher 8. Matt Crafton 9. Timothy Peters 10. Justin Lofton
NCWTS Driver Standings (after 6 of 22 races) 1. Justin Lofton 235 2. Timothy Peters -1 3. Ty Dillon -13 4. James Buescher -16 5. PARKER KLIGERMAN -22 6. Todd Bodine -37 7. Nelson Piquet Jr. -40 8. Ron Hornaday Jr. -49 9. Matt Crafton -55 10. Joey Coulter -57
