Parker Retzlaff during the ARCA Menards Series Skips Western Outfitters 175 at New Smyrna Speedway on Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 in New Smyrna, Fla. (Photo by Matt Stamey)
ARCA Menards Series East driver Parker Retzlaff has a pair of impressive iRacing wins in the last 10 days. (Matt Stamey/ARCA Racing)

Screen Time: Parker Retzlaff Showing Off His iRacing Skills

www.arcaracing.com April 22, 2020

Dominant was one word to describe Parker Retzlaff’s NASCAR Roots iRacing Series performance on Monday night.

But not surprising.

The 16-year-old from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, led majority of the night’s main event en route to a convincing victory. He outran Canadian Treyten Lapcevich, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series driver Andre Castro and Josh Berry to grab the win.

It was the second big iRacing win in the last 10 days for the driver of the No. 42 Ponsse Toyota for Cook-Finley Racing in the ARCA Menards Series East. Retzlaff put his name on the radar winning the Grand National Series trophy dash and main event races last Wednesday on TrackPass on NBC Gold.

Retzlaff got the win over Jagger Jones, Raphael Lessard and Corey LaJoie

The race, at the virtual Irwindale Speedway in California, is the first of a four-race short track, Wednesday night series hosted by Truex Management Group is teaming with Burton Kligerman eSports and utilizing the ARCA Menards Series cars. Monday’s NASCAR Roots iRacing Series is run with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour cars.

“Racing sprint cars, bandoleros, trucks, iRacing and late models has prepared me for the point I am at today in the ARCA Menards East Series,” Retzlaff said. “I’m excited to continue to use those experiences when we get back to the track.”

Retzlaff will be back behind his iRacing wheel Wednesday night when the Grand National Series “visits” Virginia’s South Boston Speedway for the Marquis Hot Tubs 125 presented by Marquis Spas

“I’ve been iRacing for about six years,” says Retzlaff. “I wasn’t very good to start but I began using it to learn the tracks that I competed at in real life. Now I use the service about three hours a night.”

RELATED: Parker Retzlaff on Racing-Reference | Twitter: @Parker79p

Retzlaff’s racing career began watching action at the dirt tracks of Wisconsin, seeing off road trucks and sprint cars with his dad on weekends. His father has served as his biggest supporter of his young career up to the point he is currently today.

“We watched a lot of dirt racing,” said Retzlaff. “When I was younger, my dad and I attended so many off road dirt races in Wisconsin. That led my dad to getting me a mini dirt sprint car at age six.”

His progression through the racing ranks was a rapid one. Succeeding in a variety of vehicles, it became apparent that he was destined for success at a young age, Retzlaff often beat out competitors that were much older than him.

He made two starts in the East last year, including a fifth in the combination race at Gateway. He opened the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East with an eighth at New Smyrna.

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