Each week, The Athletic asks the same 12 questions to a different race car driver. Up next: Parker Kligerman, who will pull a triple duty of sorts this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway by racing in the Xfinity Series and Truck Series events and then doing his usual pit reporting for NBC’s coverage of the Cup Series race.
(Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.)
1. How do you feel about people reclining their seats on airplanes?
Normally, it does not bother me because I’m also a person who doesn’t recline. So I’m weird where I can sleep sitting up. And I think that’s a requirement in my life, considering I’m probably at over 100 commercial flights a year right now. I’ve done 125 in a year — that’s my record from 2019, which was every 2.5 days. So my thing is I look at a plane and fall asleep. I’ve convinced myself of that.
So, it really doesn’t bother me, except for I was coming down (to Texas) and we’re on one of those new 737 Max (planes). I always made fun of people who flew a ton and who then learned about planes, but it almost is natural. So on the 737 Max, I couldn’t believe how close the seats were together in economy. And I was like Row 12 — I’m a big aisle guy — and I felt bad for the guy in the middle. It was claustrophobic.
So, depends on the plane a little bit. Doesn’t bother me, personally, but I do feel bad for people who maybe feel a little claustrophobic, because it’s getting tight.
2. How often do you get recognized at the grocery store?
Food Country USA (his Truck Series sponsor), every time. (Laughs) I don’t go to the grocery store much. My girlfriend, Shannon, does a lot of that. I’m terrible at grocery stores, because I always walk in there super hungry and end up buying like 1,000 things.
Read More: Parker Kligerman on his roller-coaster NASCAR career, Formula One dreams and