Kligerman Takes Daytona Truck Victory But Loses Inspection - Heim Declared Winner

Parker Kligerman and crew celebrate Daytona victory

(DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEB 14, 2025 – RIS) After failing rear height measurements in post-race inspection, Parker Kligerman's truck was qisqualified, handing the win to a stunned Corey Heim.

Ben Rhodes, starting from the pole position for the first time since 2018, and teammate Ty Majeski drove off the green flag into the lead in NASCAR’s season-opening race. Clay Greenfield got shuffled onto the apron along the front stretch and fell back to last on the track. Kaden Honeycutt spun out of the lead ending the fourth lap and slid into the inside wall, ending his night early and starting the night’s yellow fever earlier than last year’s record. 

Grant Enfinger moved into the lead ahead of Ben Rhodes, who then took advantage of the draft from Johnny Sauter to retake the lead just before Toni Breidinger got loose off of the fourth turn and spun, slapping the inside wall before driving to her pit for repairs to be attempted.

The race restarted with on the final lap of the first stage with Rhodes and Enfinger leading. Rhodes and Sauter took the top positions, followed by Enfinger, Chandler Smith and Corey Heim in the top five positions. This was Rhodes’ first stage win since 2023. Rhodes took a long pit stop for suspension adjustments and restarted in 25th. Daniel Hemric led to the green flag, swapping the lead with Justin Haley as they led the two-wide field until Parker Kligerman used a drafting push in the top third lane to sweep into the lead. Rhodes drove to the lead challenge from his restart position and started challenging for the lead in only a couple of laps under the green.

Matt Crafton took the lead, with Rhodes, Majeski, Smith and Jack Wood the top five at the end of the shorter second stage. 

Crafton took on four tires and fuel to start the final stage, dropping back to fifteenth with 55 laps left to run at the restart. Heim, Hemric, Enfinger, Caruth an Sawalich ran the top five at the restart. 

Tyler Ankrum oiled the track when his truck ‘popped out of gear and it just blew up.’ Dawson Sutton spun in reaction to Ankrum and continued after pitting for tires. Smith and Hemric led the field at the restart. 

After the race settled into an extended green flag run in single-file, pit strategy started being formulated with the Chevy gang stopping first with Grant Enfinger getting caught speeding on pit road. Then the Toyotas stopped with Stewart Friesen and Toni Breidinger both getting penalties. 

Clay Greenfield spun in the fourth turn, almost mirroring the other spins in the corner, slamming the inside wall and bringing out the yellow flag with 32 laps left in the race. Most of the Ford teams pitted during this caution, sending Michael McDowell to the lead until he pitted, ceding the lead to Gio Ruggiero and Tanner Gray at the restart with 25 laps to run. Ruggiero had started the race at the rear of the field after unapproved changes to the truck.

Chandler Smith pulled into the lead, getting help from Layne Riggs in another Ford before the lead quartet of Smith Riggs, Gray and Ruggiero pulled ahead of a pack battling two, three and sometimes four-wide. 

A multi-truck crash sent Rajah Caruth into the inner wall, with Jack Wood, Ty Majeski, Matt Crafton, Nathan Byrd, Toni Breidinger, Michael McDowell and pole winner Rhodes all involved. The crash started with trucks nearer the front of the pack slowed and the accordion effect sent trucks spinning.

Chandler Smith held the lead at the restart, with Tanner Gray, Layne Riggs, Ruggiero and Jake Garcia the top five. Gray got into the lead but Ruggiero used a side draft to move to the front in his series debut drive.

Bayley Currey got a push from Ben Rhodes and led a mass attack on Ruggiero that dropped him back to ninth in a fourth of a lap, then Rhodes swept into the lead before Parker Kligerman challenged for the lead in the outside row. Kligerman and Rhodes took the white flag side by side then Rhodes and Sauter spun off the second turn, with more trucks crashing in the fourth turn to give Kligerman the win under caution.

Unofficial Results: Fresh From Florida 250, Daytona International Speedway
Pos, Driver, Car, Margin, Laps, Last Lap, Best Time, Best Speed, Best Lap, Last Pit
DQ) Parker Kligerman, No. 75 Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, Leader, 100, 48.278 sec, 48.051 sec, 187.301 sec, 82, --
2) Corey Heim, No. 11 Safelite Toyota, 0.124 sec, 100, 48.261, 48.087, 187.161, 14, --
3) Giovanni Ruggiero #, No. 17 JBL Toyota, 0.385, 100, 48.450, 47.834, 188.151, 34, --
4) Ty Majeski, No. 98 Soda Sense/Curb Records Ford, 0.891, 100, 48.790, 47.971, 187.613, 13, --
5) Grant Enfinger, No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet, 1.031, 100, 48.855, 47.887, 187.942, 39, --
6) Justin Haley(i), No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet, 1.738, 100, 49.592, 47.930, 187.774, 82, --
7) Chandler Smith, No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford, 1.899, 100, 50.015, 47.229, 190.561, 69, --
8) Daniel Hemric, No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet, 2.238, 100, 49.982, 47.807, 188.257, 33, --
9) Jason White, No. 22 United Association Ford, 2.660, 100, 50.672, 47.972, 187.609, 93, --
10) William Sawalich(i), No. 1 Soundgear Toyota, 2.955, 100, 50.877, 47.471, 189.589, 11, --
11) Frankie Muniz #, No. 33 The Electric State Ford, 5.137, 100, 52.735, 47.704, 188.663, 97, --
12) Timmy Hill, No. 56 Coble Enterprises/UNITS Toyota, 9.158, 100, 56.761, 47.994, 187.523, 98, --
13) Jake Garcia, No. 13 Quanta Services Ford, 10.253, 100, 58.210, 47.306, 190.251, 69, --
14) Mason Maggio(i), No. 4 Tantillo Auto Group Chevrolet, 12.410, 100, 59.243, 48.284, 186.397, 95, --
15) Norm Benning, No. 6 MDIA/Pennsylvania Speedway Chevrolet, 12.844, 100, 60.283, 47.493, 189.502, 39, --
16) Andres Perez de Lara #, No. 77 Telcel Chevrolet, 13.274, 100, 61.025, 47.660, 188.838, 39, --
17) Johnny Sauter, No. 66 TSPORT Ford, 13.613, 100, 61.573, 47.234, 190.541, 57, --
18) Layne Riggs, No. 34 Loves RV Stop Ford, 47.981, 100, 63.170, 47.212, 190.630, 69, --
19) Spencer Boyd, No. 76 Tibbetts Lumber Chevrolet, 20.709, 100, 59.787, 47.991, 187.535, 67, --
20) Josh Reaume, No. 2 Levrack Ford, 21.474, 100, 60.816, 48.141, 186.951, 93, --
21) Ben Rhodes, No. 99 Clark's/Santa Hill Ranch/Toyon Ranch/TK21, 21.592, 100, 69.875, 47.230, 190.557, 69, --
22) Bayley Currey, No. 44 Masked Owl Technologies/DQS Chevrolet, 30.423, 100, 78.186, 47.927, 187.786, 68, --
23) Tanner Gray, No. 15 Place of Hope Toyota, 0.068, 99, 48.324, 47.796, 188.300, 40, 4.780
24) Stewart Friesen, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota, -1, 99, 66.325, 47.430, 189.753, 3, --
25) Jack Wood, No. 91 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet, -1, 99, 71.302, 47.745, 188.501, 3, --
26) Dawson Sutton #, No. 26 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet, -2, 98, 70.732, 47.510, 189.434, 80, --
27) Michael McDowell(i), No. 07 Go Bowling Chevrolet, -2, 98, 68.374, 47.234, 190.541, 69, --
28) Matt Crafton, No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Ford, -2, 98, 68.537, 47.805, 188.265, 27, --
29) Toni Breidinger #, No. 5 Raising Cane's Toyota, -4, 96, 83.203, 48.062, 187.258, 14, --
30) Matt Mills, No. 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet, -5, 95, 71.942, 48.204, 186.706, 2, --
31) Rajah Caruth, 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, -18, 82, 48.336, 47.890, 187.931, 39, 5.660
32) Nathan Byrd, No. 02 Sonesta International Hotels Chevrolet, -18, 82, 49.183, 48.217, 186.656, 61, --
33) Connor Mosack #, No. 81 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Chevrolet, -21, 79, 72.669, 48.660, 184.957, 11, --
34) Clay Greenfield, No. 95 Backyard Blues Pools Chevrolet, -32, 68, 48.251, 47.958, 187.664, 30, 5.140
35) Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 LiUNA! Chevrolet, -52, 48, 49.808, 47.903, 187.880, 14, 18.960
36) Kaden Honeycutt, No. 45 AutoVentive/Precision Chevrolet, -97, 3, 48.263, 48.263, 186.478, 3, --
(#) Rookie, (i) Ineligible for Points

Distance: 250 miles, 200 laps; Time: 02:09:08
Avg Speed: 116.20 mph
Last Speed: 186.525 mph

Leaders
Car , Times , Laps
75 , 2 , 2
11 , 1 , 2
17 , 3 , 11
9 , 5 , 7
7 , 1 , 2
38 , 5 , 34
19 , 3 , 7
2 , 1 , 1
99 , 7 , 23
15 , 1 , 2
07 , 1 , 1
88 , 1 , 9

Lead Changes
Car , Start , End , Total
99 , 0 , 2 , 3
38 , 3 , 3 , 1
99 , 4 , 10 , 7
15 , 11 , 12 , 2
99 , 13 , 13 , 1
9 , 14 , 14 , 1
99 , 15 , 21 , 7
9 , 22 , 22 , 1
19 , 23 , 25 , 3
7 , 26 , 27 , 2
75 , 28 , 28 , 1
9 , 29 , 31 , 3
99 , 32 , 32 , 1
9 , 33 , 33 , 1
88 , 34 , 42 , 9
99 , 43 , 43 , 1
11 , 44 , 45 , 2
19 , 46 , 48 , 3
38 , 49 , 57 , 9
19 , 58 , 58 , 1
38 , 59 , 71 , 13
07 , 72 , 72 , 1
2 , 73 , 73 , 1
17 , 74 , 76 , 3
38 , 77 , 77 , 1
17 , 78 , 78 , 1
38 , 79 , 88 , 10
17 , 89 , 95 , 7
9 , 96 , 96 , 1
99 , 97 , 99 , 3
75 , 100 , 100 , 1

Cautions
# , Lap , Beneficiary , Reason
1 , 3 , - , No. 45, 38 Incident Frontstretch
2 , 15 , - , No. 5, 17 Incident Frontstretch
3 , 20 , 88 , Stage 1 Conclusion
4 , 40 , 6 , Stage 2 Conclusion
5 , 48 , 5 , No. 26 Spin Turn 1
6 , 69 , 6 , No. 95 Incident Frontstretch
7 , 82 , 9 , No. 02, 07, 5, 71, 88, 91, 99 Incident Backstretch
8 , 99 , - , No. 34, 15, 19, 7, 13, 44, 38 Incident Turn 4