Nu Way 225

Driver: Parker Retzlaff
Organization & Number: Viking Motorsports, #99
Crew Chief: Danny Efland
Spotter: Doug Campbell, Jr.
Qualified: P19

(Photo Credit: Parker Retzlaff Racing | Facebook)

Stage 1

Parker Retzlaff entered World Wide Technology Raceway sitting 10th in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase standings. He was looking to have a better run than the week before at Darlington Raceway. Despite finishing P11 in practice, Retzlaff was awarded a P19 starting spot.

On lap 2, Retzlaff ran three-wide and moved to P18. Three laps later, he worked around Kyle Sieg for P17. Lap 8 saw a door-to-door battle with Brandon Jones, with Retzlaff winning out after three laps. As drivers took Lap 12, the caution waved when Taylor Gray went for a spin.

At this point, Retzlaff was scored P15, and the team talked about how difficult it was to pass.

The green saw him in P16, and he went three-wide to secure P14. From there, the battle was on, and he moved to P13 in a fight with Nick Sanchez. Once secured, he set his eyes on Sammy Smith in P11. With 18 to go in the stage, he was knocking on the door of the top 10.

He broke through with 12 to go and was told he was running top-five lap times. Retzlaff radioed in with a brake issue, but a handful of laps later, he said, “Don’t even worry about it.”

The stage came to a close with Retzlaff earning a single stage point. He told his team, “I got to about Lap 30, and it started to get tight…and water temps not working.”

Stage 2

During the stage break, a wild scene unfolded on pit road, which brought out the red flag.

Retzlaff lined up P6 with a slightly different lineup. He went three-wide and fell to P9. After a few laps, he settled into P8. Fifteen laps into the stage, Retzlaff noted he was much tighter than the previous run.

He gained a spot when Austin Hill took to the pits with a loose wheel. Eventually, the caution waved for debris with 15 to go in the stage. The No. 99 team opted to stay on track and keep their spot to restart P6 with 12 to go.

He fell to P8 and was instructed to “go where they are not.” He maintained his position, scored three stage points, and noted his car was “firing off a little tight.”

Stage 3

After a pit stop, he returned to the track in P8, banking on a 45-lap run. While cars ahead of him went squirrely, he lost a spot. He lost one more position and was told, “Keep being aggressive with him [Gray].”

Retzlaff made a move around Austin Hill and was able to regain a spot. He was encouraged, “Be the aggressor.”

A few laps later, he was informed, “You are creeping away.” He replied that the front turn felt better, but he was “struggling with lateral drive.”

He maintained P9 until the caution waved on Lap 127 when Lavar Scott got loose and backed into the wall.

The No. 99 team came to the pits and restarted P10 with 48 to go.

After running three-wide, the No. 17 slammed the inside wall, taking two other cars with him, and the caution waved.

Retzlaff immediately radioed in, “That was my fault. I didn’t see them checked up there.”

He sat P10 for the restart with 41 to go, quickly set up for a three-wide pass, and earned a spot. Then, after another battle with Hill, he secured P8 and was “creeping away.”

With 30 to go, the caution came out again after the Nos. 07 and 42 went for synchronized spins.

As Retzlaff prepared to take 24 to go from P8, he told his team, “Need this to go green till the end.”

He quickly found himself in a three-wide situation that shuffled him around, but he settled back in at P8.

When Retzlaff took 15 to go, he was instructed, “Time to be aggressive. No more give and take.” He quickly claimed P7 and was told, “You will get the next one.”

Finally, with eight to go, he got around Hill one more time for P6, and that’s where he would finish the night.

He thanked his team for the rebound before signing off for the night.

(Photo Credit: Chris Graythen | Getty Images)

NASCAR fans know sponsors make the sport go ’round. We want to give a shoutout to Hannoush Jewelers. They were a huge part of the weekend for Parker and the No. 99 team at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Be sure to give Parker Retzlaff (Facebook, Instagram, X) and Viking Motorsports (Facebook, Instagram, X) a follow to keep up with the latest news from the driver and team.