NASCAR sparks controversy over white flag call after Parker Kligerman seemingly robbed at Roval

What just happened?! It looked like Parker Kligerman took the white flag and was going to win the race, but NASCAR said not so fast. Kligerman did not take the white flag before the caution came out and we are now in overtime.

Another week, another overtime restart. Leland Honeyman was buried in a tire barrier in one of the first few turns. It looked like NASCAR was going to let this one go and have Parker Kligerman take the white flag.

Now, despite fighting off Sam Mayer for 12 laps, Kligerman is going to have to defend his lead in overtime.

Here's probably the most conclusive look at the time of caution with the lights in comparison to Kligerman at the start-finish line.

That may top the closest photo finishes we've had this season.#NASCAR #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/iZwnzcqIlp

— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) October 12, 2024

The broadcast on The CW showed that Parker Kligerman didn’t actually take the white flag. Those caution lights flashed on when the 48 car was feet from the finish line. Just a wild turn of events and not something any driver wants to have to deal with.

This race is going to come down to Kligerman, Mayer, AJ Allmendinger, and Shane van Gisbergen. Those are four very talented road course racers, all will be worthy of the win.

Feet away from his first career win. Parker Kligerman had that checkered flag in his hands and it disappeared in front of all of our eyes. What a way to have this race finish. The NASCAR Playoffs are nothing but drama.

Parker Kligerman reacts to controversial call postrace

In his postrace interview, Parker Kligerman held back tears. He thought for a moment he had this race won. Then he had to get back into race mode and try to hold off Sam Mayer for two more laps.

“It’s really tough from this side, I won’t lie,” Kligerman said of his misfortunes. “I might have teared up when I thought we got it there with the white flag and the caution comes out, and then I had to refocus, I was like, ‘Hey, I watched AJ in the Cup race last year nail a bunch of restarts.’ I was like, ‘If I want to be this level I gotta nail this restart,’ and we did that.

“I thought I cutoff turn 7 enough but he somehow got below me and it was on from there. We got damage and it was full contact, Sam didn’t do any egregious. It was hard racing but as close as you can be to the line. God, I said I wanted to cry, I’m not going to cry. But I really love this age, I just really wanted that. It would have meant the world. But you know it meant the world to be in that position.”

Racing is awesome because of these moments. The highs and the lows. Those heartbreaking moments. But that doesn’t make it any easier for Parker Kligerman.