Parker Kligerman will miss Thursday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway after saying an ongoing illness has kept him from competing. The withdrawal also means he won’t add to a strong recent Truck résumé in what was slated to be his 130th career start in the series.

Henderson Motorsports has turned to Nick Sanchez as the replacement driver for the No. 75 Chevrolet. For a part-time team that often relies on experienced hands and quick turnarounds, the driver change is the sort of late-week adjustment that can alter both race expectations and preparation time heading into one of NASCAR’s most demanding short-track events.

Another setback for Kligerman’s week

Kligerman’s absence from Bristol follows a separate missed assignment last weekend, when he was unable to take part in The CW’s broadcast at Gateway because of the same illness. That keeps him sidelined from both the competition and media sides of the sport for the time being, which is notable given how active he has remained across NASCAR in recent seasons.

He had been entered to make his fifth Truck Series start of the 2026 season at Bristol, adding another appearance for Henderson Motorsports’ No. 75 entry. Instead, the team will have to adjust its plans with a different driver and whatever setup preferences accompany the change.

Why Bristol is a difficult place for a last-minute switch

Bristol Motor Speedway is one of the toughest venues on the Truck Series calendar even under normal circumstances. The half-mile concrete oval demands precision in traffic, aggressive braking, and the ability to survive contact when the race inevitably tightens up. Driver comfort matters there, but so does rhythm, timing, and familiarity with a team’s communication style.

That makes any late driver swap more complicated than a routine substitution. Henderson Motorsports will now need to put Sanchez into a truck that had been prepared around Kligerman, then build enough confidence in a short window to keep the No. 75 competitive through practice, qualifying, and the race itself.

What Sanchez brings to the No. 75

The opportunity gives Sanchez another chance to show what he can do in NASCAR’s national touring ranks. Replacing a driver at the last minute is rarely ideal, but it can also be a valuable stage for someone looking to make an impression with a team that may not have the same resources as the series’ full-time powerhouse organizations.

For Henderson Motorsports, the move keeps the truck in the field with an active and capable driver rather than forcing the team to step back from the event entirely. In part-time competition, that flexibility is often the difference between salvaging a race weekend and missing it altogether.

Kligerman’s place in the Truck Series picture

Kligerman’s planned Bristol start would have marked his 130th career Truck Series appearance, a milestone that underlines how long he has remained a recognizable presence in the division. He has built a reputation as a versatile racer who can step into different programs and provide immediate feedback, which is part of why his absence is felt beyond just one race seat.

His withdrawal doesn’t change the broader shape of the Truck Series season, but it does remove one of the more familiar names from Bristol’s entry list. For fans, it’s a reminder of how quickly lineups can change in NASCAR, especially at the part-time and mid-tier team level where availability and health can have an outsized effect on competition.

With Kligerman out and Sanchez in, Henderson Motorsports heads into Bristol focused on adaptation rather than continuity. At a track where little goes exactly to plan, that challenge is hardly unusual — but it is never simple.