Big Machine Racing announced Tuesday (Dec. 17) that they are teaming up with Forte Racing for January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. Forte’s regular driver Misha Goikhberg will be joined by Parker Kligerman, who will be making his IMSA debut.
“I’ve often talked about how much Scott [Borchetta] and I love all forms of motorsports,” Kligerman said in the press release. “Over the past few years driving for Big Machine [Racing], it’s been amazing getting to know him and sharing that passion. When we realized my full-time driving career was coming to an end, we started wondering what cool motorsports adventures we could tackle together. At the top of that list was the Rolex 24!”
Kligerman is currently getting his first taste of the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 this week in a private test at Daytona International Speedway. It’s quite the learning experience.
“For sure I’m just trying to learn,” Kligerman told IMSA’s Tony DiZinno. “These first two days [aren’t]about lap time. It’s braking, ABS and the systems within the car. There’s a 19-page manual to memorize. It’s the proverbial drinking from the firehose.”
Kligerman will get plenty of time to get used to the Huracan. He’ll have the test session that is ongoing in Daytona. He’ll have the three-day ROAR Before the 24 test weekend. He’ll have three practice sessions during the actual race weekend as well.
“I would like to welcome Parker [Kligerman] to the team,” Goikhberg stated in a press release. “He is a big stock car talent, and all-around wheelman. Not the worst guy to have matching Rolexes come the end of January.”
Kligerman has been on record for years about his desires to compete in the race. When he appeared on the Dinner With Racers podcast in 2017, he talked extensively about it. He had proactively put in his application for a FIA driver rating. He received a Gold rating at the time, which made getting a ride extremely difficult since he would be the second Pro-level driver in a GTD car.
Later on, his regular work got in the way.
“Most years I tried [to get a Rolex 24 ride], I’d always be too busy, or had a full-time season ahead,” Kligerman said. “I’d be working a deal for NASCAR and couldn’t really take focus off to put a deal together for this. Everything aligned, and here we are. I could not be more excited. I feel like I’m [nine] again.”
Kligerman announced in September that he was ending his full-time racing career after the 2024 season. However, he did keep the window open for part-time racing opportunities.
For 2025, Kligerman will likely continue to work in television, via a combination of NBC Sports and automotive work on the internet.
In his final season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Kligerman ended up 10th in points with five top-five and 15 top 10 finishes. His best finish of the year was second at Atlanta in September. He also controversially missed out on victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL due to a caution coming out less than 10 feet before Kligerman would have taken the white flag.
UPDATE 12/18: Forte Racing announced Wednesday morning that Mario Farnbacher will join Goikhberg in the No. 78 Lamborghini for the full 2025 season, replacing Loris Spinelli. Kligerman was not the only driver trying out the Huracan for the first time Tuesday as Farnbacher also got his first crack at it in Daytona.
“It’s my first day in the new job and it was nice to get into this new environment and into the new challenges as well,” Farnbacher said. “I think the first test day today was good. Definitely a lot of things that are new that I need to learn and get my head around. I think we made some good progress and are getting to know each other as a new team. Really looking forward to the future and the ROAR and Daytona weekends. I think we have a strong package and I’m really looking forward to this season. I’d like to thank the team and Lamborghini for giving me this opportunity.”
Farnbacher comes to Forte Racing from The Heart of Racing, where he was effectively a designated substitute driver as Alex Riberas had responsibilities in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Farnbacher ultimately made six starts in the GTD Pro class with the team in 2024 with two fourth-place finishes at Daytona and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The partnership between Forte Racing and Big Machine racing appears to only be for Daytona. Forte Racing’s third driver for the Michelin Endurance Cup races will be announced at a later date.
About the author
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.
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