Parker Kligerman ’09 is an exception.
Years ago, as a seemingly typical teenage idealist, he walked the halls of Staples with dreams of becoming a famous race car driver on a super speedway. Today, he is ranked #11 in the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings and is proving himself and his bright yellow Dodge Charger to be Penske’s most up-and-coming young talent.
“I didn’t give up on my dream, and with much success, being at the right place at the right time, I was able to climb the ladder,” Kligerman said.
Kligerman’s drive to success began at the tender age of 13 when his parents bought him the two-stroke go-kart he had coveted for four years prior. He immediately began racing at tracks in Norwalk.
“After two-and-a-half-years of go-karts, I started car racing at 15,” Kligerman said. “ I won my first two races and from there moved up to NASCAR.”
Though Kligerman demonstrated a born talent for competitive racing, he explains that it was his ruthless sense of ambition that got him to where he is today. His sophomore English 2B teacher Kim Palca concurs that Kligerman’s unwavering dedication fostered success both on the tracks and in the classroom.
“He was often out of school for races, yet he always made sure to find out and complete any work he missed. He added a lot to the classroom,” Palca said.
Kligerman went professional after capturing the Formula TR PRO Series class title in 2006, winning an astounding 11 out of 14 races. From there, he began a life-changing partnership with Dodge Motorsports that allowed him to join the Cunningham Motorsports Junior Team in 2008. Kligerman was a senior at the time.
“But it never changed my relationships. Many of my high school friends became more supportive of my racing as I continued to reach higher levels,” Kligerman said.
A lifelong friend of Kligerman, Cronin Cullen ’09, described how magnificent it was watching his best friend’s dream turn into reality. Cullen recalled having adrenaline rushes of his own while watching Kligerman’s rise to fame.
“It’s just unreal knowing that my best friend has thousands of Twitter followers and his own official t-shirt,” Cullen said. “I still can’t believe Parker’s a celebrity.”
Kligerman has stopped attending school at University of North Carolina due to his schedule revolving around professional commitments and daily training with a personal coach at Penske racing. He describes this as being a minor setback, as he attributes most of his success to “making the most of high pressured, large opportunities.” For Kligerman, career comes first.
“It was his goal and remains his passion,” Palca said. “It’s absolutely fantastic to have seen where he was a few years ago, and what his ultimate dream of becoming was, and to see him reaching it now.”
Kligerman’s next race will take place Feb. 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. at the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck series.
