NASCAR's laughably inconsistent officiating claims latest victim in Parker Kligerman

As Parker Kligerman came to the white flag in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte Roval, the North Carolina stars seemed to be aligning in the afternoon sky.

Kligerman, a NASCAR veteran of over a decade, came into Saturday's race searching for his first Xfinity Series win in 117 starts. A victory was needed to advance him to the next round of the Xfinity Series playoffs and would be made even more special by the fact that 2024 is his final season of full-time competition.

But just as quickly as the stars above Charlotte, North Carolina, had aligned, they fell apart. Mere seconds before Kligerman took the white flag and made the race official, NASCAR inexplicably threw the caution flag, re-racking the field for overtime.

The issue wasn't a lack of cause for the caution — Leland Honeyman Jr.'s Chevrolet had crashed hard — but rather the timing of the caution that sent the NASCAR world into an uproar. Honeyman's car had clearly been stopped for some time and if the caution hadn't already been thrown — which it should've been for a stopped vehicle — there was no reason to throw it before Kligerman crossed the line to end the race.

Instead, Kligerman saw his chances of winning both the race and the championship evaporate in the overtime period, as a strong move from Sam Mayer gave him his second straight Roval win, knocking Kligerman out of the playoffs while ensuring a Round of 8 berth for himself.

The biggest takeaway from Saturday afternoon? NASCAR officiating must make significant changes. Too many times over the past several seasons has the post-race water-cooler fodder been about officiating errors rather than an exciting finish or intriguing winner, both of which were featured on Saturday.

Rather than remembering Mayer and Kligerman's duel or the postseason drama that ensued over the race's final stage, all anyone will remember about Saturday's race is the extreme lapse of judgement from a sanctioning body that has little margin for error at the moment.

With an ongoing lawsuit, confusion about the DVP policy and consistent blunders that affect the outcomes of races, the time is now for NASCAR to make changes that will get it back into the good graces of fans.

All in all, Saturday's race was just another example of why so many people outside the NASCAR industry have a difficult time taking America's premier motorsport seriously. For every iconic moment and incredible battle it provides, it's sure to give you at least one moment that makes you wonder how the sport isn't constantly laughed at.