Retzlaff Pushes Forward, Extends Recent Xfinity Momentum

Parker Retzlaff (Jacob Seelman/Race Face Digital photo)

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Parker Retzlaff's recent redemption arc in the NASCAR Xfinity Series continued Saturday at Martinsville Speedway, as he secured a solid 12th-place finish in the Marine Corps 250.

Retzlaff faced challenges throughout the race after starting from 27th, but stayed resilient behind the wheel of the No. 4 PB&J Protein Brownie Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing.

Martinsville marks Retzlaff’s third consecutive top-20 result since failing to qualify at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, earlier this season. It’s also a track where he earned the pole and was out front for a portion of the race last November with his previous team, Jordan Anderson Racing.

“I mean, it’s just a very humbling sport. Last time I was here, I was sitting on the pole and leading 55 laps of the race, and this year I was 27th in qualifying and couldn’t get out of my own way,” said Retzlaff. “So, again, it’s a very humbling sport, but you just (have to) try to keep digging and keep going forward.”

Although struggling through practice and qualifying, Retzlaff showed patience throughout the 250-lap event, as he battled his way toward the front.

It was a grind, considering he spent just 13 laps inside the top 15 en route to his eventual 12th-place result.

“Our day was just so, so long,” he reflected. “We had just struggled so bad from the start of practice yesterday to the race and just weren’t really good. So, I kind of just tried to put myself in the safe spot and just ran the bottom all the way through those last 45 or 50 laps to try and put myself in the best spot (possible).​

“It wasn’t easy, though. None of this is easy at this level.”

Parker Retzlaff (4) races Jeremy Clements at Martinsville Speedway. (Jacob Seelman/Race Face Digital photo)

The Marine Corps 250 had 14 cautions for 104 laps, but despite the chaos and the late race drama, Retzlaff kept his front bumper clean through the overtime green-white-checkered finish.

“That green-white-checker there, I mean, I knew the bottom was the safest spot,” he noted. “They kept just driving into each other and wrecked, and I knew that it was probably the safest spot for me, so I just rode on the bottom.

“I thought I had the whole wreck cleared and then suddenly there was a car straight in front of me, and I hit somebody. I don’t even know who it was … but hit somebody a little bit.”

Despite the late-race contact, Retzlaff's car sustained minimal damage, allowing him to cross the finish line in 12th place. Considering the team's earlier struggles, the result was a welcome one.

“This car’s not too bad, but overall, after our day and how we were in practice and qualifying, I’ll take a 12th and move on,” he stated.

Retzlaff moved up three places in the standings at Martinsville and sits 23rd in points despite failing to qualify at COTA. The 21-year-old Rhinelander, Wis., native hopes to continue his recent consistency at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, a track where he’s still seeking his first top-10 finish.

Catch Retzlaff and the rest of the Xfinity Series field in the Sports Clips Haircuts/VFW-Help A Hero 200 at Darlington on Saturday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET, live on The CW, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.