Seven weeks into the , has matched his finest end, accomplished each lap and planted himself within the firm of a few of the greatest groups within the sport.
This comes within the well-traveled, 22-year-old Rhinelander native’s first season with a second-year staff.
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“I don’t suppose we’re overperforming in any respect,” mentioned Retzlaff, who sits ninth in .
“It’s undoubtedly sustainable for the entire 12 months, and I believe that there’s simply extra little stuff we are able to work on as we get vehicles constructed. And as we get somewhat bit farther forward of all the pieces, we’ve got set to work on the little stuff that each one these actually large groups do. That’s the place these guys get you, with all of the little particulars.”
This pushed, matter-of-fact, received’t-back-down perspective is among the traits common supervisor Jeremy Lange loves in regards to the driver of the staff’s No. 99 Chevrolet.
However, right here’s the place they differ.
Parker Retzlaff of Rhinelander is in his fourth full NASCAR season at age 22, racing a Chevrolet for Viking Motorsports within the O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence.
“If you happen to have been to inform me in December, that we’d be eleventh in proprietor factors and he’d be ninth in driver factors, I’d let you know you’re loopy,” Lange mentioned.
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Oh, they each knew this form of efficiency was inside attain when Lange sat down with Retzlaff final October. That’s why they received collectively.
However Lange thought-about contending for a playoff spot by the top of this season “a strech purpose.” It wasn’t in his wildest goals that Retzlaff, crew chief Danny Efland and their crew might have reached this far, this nimbly, this rapidly.
“As a competitor, I’d be shocked if he didn’t suppose he might do what he’s doing,” Lange mentioned. “Parker and any driver that you’ve got in your race vehicles, they suppose they’re the perfect driver on that monitor at any given day. And Parker thinks he can win each race, which is what we would like.
“It’s onerous. These are the perfect drivers. And we’re competing towards some groups who’ve been doing this for a very long time. I’m excited the place we’re, and I believed we have been gonna be fifteenth to twentieth proper now, not eleventh. However equally, if we have been twenty fifth or 30, I’d be dissatisfied.”
Parker Retzlaff joined Viking Motorsports for 2026 and by his second race had recorded the staff’s finest end.
Parker Retzlaff arrived in NASCAR with a splash regardless of no fanfare
This isn’t the primary time in NASCAR.
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He arrived in 2022 with simply three ARCA nationwide begins and 13 regional races on his résumé, becoming a member of RSS Racing in what was often called the Xfinity Sequence for what can be the beginning of a nine-race run. Retzlaff certified sixth for his debut and completed twelfth or higher thrice in his first 5 races that abbreviated season with RSS and Our Motorsports.
The excitement was short-lived although, and with minimal sponsorship and no large staff behind him, Retzlaff was combating simply to remain within the recreation.
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With rising Jordan Anderson Racing in 2023, Retzlaff managed seven top-10 finishes and positioned a powerful sixteenth in factors. The three-car staff’s efficiency dropped off , and he ended up twenty first and was on the transfer once more.
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Retzlaff ended up at Alpha Prime, for which he recorded the staff’s finest end, second at Rockingham, however he managed simply two different top-10 leads to 2025 and dropped yet another spot within the factors.
In October, although, Retzlaff’s agent, Austin Craven, related him with Lange at Talladega. Earlier than the season was out they’d a deal in place for 2026, and Retzlaff had the earliest bounce on a season he’d ever loved.
“It’s important to go the place you may have alternative, however I additionally suppose generally stuff doesn’t work out, it’s not a great match, and also you’ve type of received to make the change regardless that if it’s a little bit onerous,” Retzlaff mentioned.
“After which simply making an attempt to place your self in the perfect place. I really feel like Viking general has been the perfect place I’ve ever been in, probably the most put-together {and professional} place I’ve ever been.”
RCR has helped Viking Motorsports make strides rapidly
Viking proprietor within the transportable chemical evaluation business, received his staff off the bottom in 2024 as a partnership with RSS. That allowed Viking to realize proprietor factors to face by itself in 2025. Though Sackett and Retzlaff coincidentally each gained entrée with Rod Sieg’s staff, that had nothing to do with their subsequent connection, Lange mentioned.
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Viking went with veteran Matt DeBenedetto in ’25 however let him go three races earlier than the season ended, ultimately employed Retzlaff after which later added a second staff with driver Anthony Alfredo.
The staff continues to be comparatively small, with 18 workers. However an alliance with helped Viking take an enormous step ahead. The chance opened up when with Ram.
“I believe I 100% anticipated to be this sturdy as a result of we got here into the 12 months figuring out what we had, the individuals we had,” Retzlaff mentioned. “The automotive and stuff issues and all that, however I believe with us having the ECR [Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines] and RCR alliance, we’re within the ballpark fairly nicely. So … it simply then comes right down to the fellows and the individuals you may have and the way onerous they work and all that stuff.
“The staff’s within the second 12 months of ever working, first 12 months with all of us and principally everybody was model new at the start of this 12 months. They’d a giant refresh within the offseason of recent stuff, new individuals … and it’s simply all of the expertise and data coming within the constructing and everybody placing their heads collectively and having the identical purpose and specializing in the identical issues.”
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The alliance with RCR offers Viking entry to the info that helped and put two vehicles within the prime 4 within the standings. In flip, RCR advantages from the data gained by Retzlaff and Alfredo and their crew chiefs and engineers.
“We’re nonetheless ingesting from a hearth hose of types,” Lange mentioned. “We really feel that these subsequent 4 or 5 will enable us to catch our breath and type of get our toes beneath us.”
Parker Retzlaff exhibits spectacular management at age 22
JR Motorsports veteran Justin Allgaier leads the standings heading into Rockingham April 4 with Jesse Love of RCR, Sheldon Creed of Haas Manufacturing facility Group and Hill of RCR in tow. Retzlaff ranks ninth, forward of Rajah Caruth of JRM and Jordan Andreson Racing (tenth), Sam Mayer of Haas (eleventh) and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Taylor Grey (twelfth) and William Sawalich (14th) amongst others.
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Whereas crediting RCR, Lange is also fast to tip his cap to Retzlaff, who has exceeded expectations on and, maybe extra impressively, off the monitor.
“I can’t communicate sufficient for him about his management abilities as a 22-year-old younger man, his potential, want to do the perfect he can, is exclusive at that age. It simply is,” Lange mentioned.
“I’ll give an ideal instance. He drove to Darlington within the van with the fellows vs. drive himself. He’s one of many guys. I can’t say why he does it, aside from the truth that he does do it, and it’s spectacular. And it speaks volumes to the camaraderie that we’re constructing at Viking.
“He brings Chick-fil-A to the store for the fellows. After Vegas, he left the monitor early after the race and received In-N-Out Burger for all the fellows. It’s simply what he does.”
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Retzlaff recorded the staff’s finest end Feb. 21 when he sneaked by a final lap crash at Atlanta and .
It’s not a lot the end that has been the largest spotlight for Retzlaff, it’s the consistency he has developed over three full seasons and elements of two others. For somebody who arrived at NASCAR’s second-highest degree with minimal expertise in full-sized inventory vehicles, he’s being seen – in a constructive approach – each week.
“In 2024 … I had two poles and I believe we confirmed loads of pace, however I believe that I used to be nonetheless somewhat younger, nonetheless put myself in some not excellent positions,” he mentioned, “and I ended up getting injury or wrecked due to placing myself in dangerous positions.
“So it’s been good this 12 months to see the pace nonetheless be there but in addition be capable of simply be somewhat bit smarter and never attempt to push too onerous and put [myself] in a foul spot.”
Parker Retzlaff leads a pack of vehicles within the O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence race March 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
May Parker Retzlaff’s first win be across the subsequent nook?
In Retzlaff’s thoughts there’s nothing actually conserving him from successful this weekend or subsequent or the one after that. It’s a matter of how and when, not if.
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“If you happen to put your self in that prime 5 and even prime seven space each week, in some unspecified time in the future stuff has to fall in line so that you can grow to be somewhat bit fortunate within the scenario or simply do all the pieces proper sufficient and produce other individuals make errors sufficient to the place you might be in that place,” he mentioned.
“You see individuals who have rather a lot much less pace who find yourself successful races simply because in some unspecified time in the future you’re in a adequate spot and also you fall into the place of it. … There’s simply loads of stuff that we are able to do higher to attempt to put ourselves in a greater place.”
Retzlaff was extra pissed off than glad when he completed second at Atlanta. Lange reminded him that when it comes to improvement, the staff was nonetheless between the crawling and strolling phases even when it “would possibly sniff moments of working.”
“We need to chase checkered flags and race for wins, however we additionally know who we’re,” Lange mentioned. “I don’t suppose we ever envisioned it taking place this quick or individuals speaking about us this quick.”
However quick is what the game’s all about.
