Jeffely Pargo is among 10 finalists still chasing a seven-figure Powerball payday and a VIP NASCAR championship trip.
FREDERICK, MD – A Maryland man has already collected $12,500 in lottery prizes, but his biggest payday could still be ahead. Jeffely Pargo of Frederick has advanced to the final 10 competitors in NASCAR Powerball — The Chase to $1 Million, putting him within reach of a $1 million grand prize.
Pargo secured his latest advancement Sunday, October 18, during an announcement at the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The result earned him another $5,000 and kept him in contention for the competition’s top prize.
The next elimination comes November 1, when 10 remaining contestants will be narrowed to four during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. Those four will receive VIP trips to NASCAR Championship Weekend in Miami, where one will ultimately receive $1 million.
Frederick Man Advances as NASCAR Powerball Field Shrinks
According to the Maryland Lottery’s October 18 announcement, Pargo was one of 10 players nationwide who survived the latest round of the competition.
His advancement came during the NASCAR race at Phoenix Raceway, continuing a journey that began with a Maryland Lottery second-chance promotion earlier this year.
Pargo’s place in the competition has been building for months.
The Frederick resident first won $2,500 through Maryland’s NASCAR Powerball — The Chase Second-Chance Promotion, which ran from May 4 through June 15.
More than 22,000 Maryland Lottery players submitted Powerball tickets for that promotion, which awarded 40 prizes of $2,500.
Pargo was subsequently selected from those 40 winners to represent Maryland in a national competition involving 25 participating lotteries.
That selection earned him another $2,000.
On September 27, he received an additional $3,000 when the national field narrowed to 20 contestants.
His latest advancement on October 18 brought another $5,000, raising his total winnings to $12,500.
Four Finalists Will Head to NASCAR Championship Weekend
The competition now enters one of its most important stages.
On November 1, during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, organizers will announce which four of the remaining 10 players advance to the final round.
Each finalist will receive a VIP trip to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8.
The grand-prize winner will receive $1 million, while the other three finalists will each receive $10,000.
For Pargo, advancing would mean a trip to one of NASCAR’s biggest events and a chance at a prize significantly larger than the $12,500 he has already earned.
His progress has also kept Maryland represented in the national contest as the field has narrowed from 25 participants to just 10.
Shore News Network previously reported on Pargo’s selection as Maryland’s representative in the national promotion.
The latest result moves him another step closer to competing for the grand prize.
Powerball’s NASCAR Partnership Reaches Fourth Year
The 2026 NASCAR season marks Powerball’s fourth year as the Official Lottery Game of NASCAR.
It is also the fourth consecutive year that the promotion will offer a player the opportunity to win $1 million in Victory Lane before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race.
Pargo’s path to the final round has been built entirely through the promotional selection process, beginning with Maryland’s second-chance drawing and continuing through the national eliminations.
He does not need to win the next Powerball jackpot to remain eligible for the NASCAR prize. His opportunity comes from the separate promotion.
The November 1 announcement will determine whether the Frederick resident becomes one of four players traveling to Miami.
For now, Pargo has $12,500 in winnings and a place among the final 10 contestants. The next round will determine whether his NASCAR Powerball run continues toward the $1 million finish line.