Parker Retzlaff, Nick Sanchez post solid NXS debuts at Phoenix
AVONDALE, ARIZ. – Nick Sanchez and Parker Retzlaff each made their NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Saturday’s United Rentals 200.
Sanchez finished 26th, 2 laps down, driving the No. 5 BJ McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet in a day of learning for the Oct. 2021 ARCA Kansas winner.
“Obviously first 100 or so laps were learning on my part, learning the car, who I was racing – after that I got a little more racey but I think I burned my stuff up and stayed out a little too long,” Sanchez reflected. “I wish I had a late-race caution but it’s racing. Biggest thing is, I learned a lot.”
“The car, the way it raced. The tires, everything was new,” Sanchez added. “[It was about] learning to apply what I learned in the ARCA car to the Xfinity car.”
Parker Retzlaff finished 36th after he posted a strong 6th-place qualifying run in the No. 38 RSS Racing Ford.
His first laps on the real-life Phoenix track came during NASCAR Xfinity Series practice and qualifying – just hours before the race.
“I really enjoyed it,” Retzlaff said. “I’ve done a lot of stuff with it on iRacing and it’s the first time I’ve done it in real life.”
Before the race, Retzlaff set an expectation of a top 10 or a top 15. Although the race did not live up to that expectation, Retzlaff ran a consistent race, in 26th, 1 lap down.
“It was off to a good start and it was going good, learning as much as I could – I need to work on my pit stops,” Retzlaff commented after the race. “We just had a mechanical failure that ended our day.”
Retzlaff fell out of the race on Lap 158 due to a fuel pump issue – relegating him to a 36th-place finish out of 38 cars.
His next race will be the April 2 Toyota Care 250 at Richmond Raceway.
Footnote: Parker Retzlaff made RSS Racing team history by earning the best qualifying effort for their non-flagship No. 39 car. J.J. Yeley previously set the record when he qualified 9th at Texas in the No. 38 RSS Racing Ford, in April 2018.
Post-Race Interview with Parker Retzlaff:
Post-Race Interview with Nick Sanchez:
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com