There won’t be any more ride sharing for Big Machine Racing in 2023.

Big Machine Racing team owner, Scott Borchetta, announced this morning that Parker Kligerman will take over as the new full-time driver beginning in 2023 for Big Machine Racing. This announcement comes after a year where the No. 48 Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers Chevrolet has played host to a star-studded line up. Kligerman made one start for the team in 2022, competing in the Sparks 300, at Talladega Superspeedway. Kligerman started 9th and ended the day with a 6th place finish.

Scott Borchetta said, “Parker Kligerman is coming to Big Machine Racing at the perfect time. As our team continues to grow and put up real results, Parker has the experience and talent to take us next level. He has also become a staple in the NASCAR world with fans and industry alike and he will be a great ambassador for Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers and our other brands. Excited for 2023!”

The much-anticipated announcement comes just before the end of the 2022 season with Borchetta unveiling one of the team’s Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers Chevrolets, featuring Kligerman’s name.

“From getting the call in Mid-Ohio to our first run together at Talladega Big Machine Racing has felt like somewhere I want to be,” says Kligerman. “I’m thrilled to be joining the championship-caliber team Scott Borchetta has put together and I can’t wait to continue the building process with the folks at Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers. Let’s have some fun and get a lot of checkered flags!”

This is the break Kligerman has been searching for. He was once a Penske development driver but never got a legitimate chance to prove himself worthy of a top seat in Cup. So he stayed relevant by running part time for Henderson Motorsports in the Truck Series. A win at Mid-Ohio this past July plus his opportunity in Talladega helped pave this path back.

“The mission has always been to be with one driver and build the race team,” said Borchetta, who had a revolving door with 10 different drivers in the car this season and picked up a victory at Texas with Tyler Reddick behind the wheel.

“Parker brings experience and a huge desire to do this, and that was our first conversation: ‘Hey, do you still have the fire to go and run for a championship?’”

Kligerman’s answer was an enthusiastic “Yes.”

The tipping point for Kligerman was the Talladega race.

“This happened so fluidly, so seamlessly—it felt like when we did Talladega it was just so seamless,” Kligerman said. “And the short span from talking to signing was quick. We were all aligned with the same goals, the same thought process…

“For me in my career right now, I’ve told everybody that will listen, in the last two years, I’ve never driven better in my life.”

While he’s full-time next year in the Xfinity Series, Kligerman expects to keep his duties on the NBC Sports broadcast for the Cup races as well as still being part-time in the Truck Series still.