William Sawalich (born October 3, 2006) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the 2023 and 2024 ARCA Menards Series East champion.
Sawalich began racing at the age of nine, running various midget races, including Sr. Animal's and World Formula. From 2017 to 2019, he won several track championships at Little Elko Speedway. [1]
He moved into legends cars in 2020, winning the INEX Young Lions State Championship in Minnesota. He scored multiple top fives and podiums during his legends car efforts. [1] [2] He won an INEX sanctioned Legends division feature race at Elko Speedway (MN) on August 22, 2020. [3]
Sawalich made the transition to late models in 2021, running nearly a full season in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series. Despite missing two races, he finished fourth in the standings, with one win at Carteret County Speedway, [4] and seven top fives. Along with that, he continued to run in select legend car races. He made his CARS Tour debut at Tri-County Motor Speedway in September, in which he started on the pole. He finished 17th after being involved in a late-race accident.
In 2022, Sawalich increased his late model schedule, running in the CARS Tour, the Champion Racing Association, the ARCA Midwest Tour, the Southern Super Series, and the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. In the CARS Tour, Sawalich ran nine races, earning six wins, four of them in row. [5] [6] [7] [8] His streak came to an end at Tri-County in September, after he got spun on the last lap by Jake Garcia. [9]
In 2023, Sawalich won the All American 400 in a controversial ending, after the top eight drivers were eliminated due to fluid on the racetrack, causing them to slip up and hit the wall. He also became the youngest driver to win the All American 400. [10]
On December 9, 2022, it was announced that Sawalich would join Joe Gibbs Racing to run 20 races in the ARCA Menards Series. This included a full season in the ARCA Menards Series East, along with select races in the main and West Series. [11] Sawalich would make his debut at Phoenix on March 10, 2023, winning the pole and finishing 13th. In his first East Series start at Five Flags Speedway, Sawalich won the pole and led every lap to earn his first career ARCA win. [12] At Nashville, Sawalich was in contention to win his second race, until the caution came out on the final lap. He would spin his tires on the final restart, ultimately giving the win to Luke Fenhaus. [13] He earned his second win of the season at ARCA's return to Flat Rock Speedway, leading the final 50 laps of the race. [14] He scored his third win of the season at Berlin Raceway, after passing Jesse Love for the lead with two laps to go. [15] Following the Bristol race, Sawalich clinched the ARCA Menards Series East championship. [16]
On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Sawalich would run a more expanded ARCA Menards Series and West Series schedule, along with a full-time East Series schedule. He will run the No. 18 for the 14 races in the ARCA Menards Series, and the No. 18 as well in the East and the West Series. Tanner Gray will be the driver of the No. 18 for the six tracks in the ARCA Menards Series that Sawalich is too young to race at. [17] He would start his season in the ARCA Menards Series along with the ARCA Menards Series West with a victory at Phoenix after leading 66 laps in a weather-shortened race. [18] In the East Series first race of the season, Sawalich would lead the most laps at Five Flags, but he would end up finishing second to Gio Ruggiero. [19] At Dover, Sawalich won the pole and once again led the most laps, [20] before being involved in a late race incident, unable to complete the race and finished 17th, the first DNF in his career. [21] In the following race at Nashville, Sawalich rebounded and led 145 of the 150 lap race to score the dominating win. [22] At Portland for the West Series race, Sawalich took the lead from Brandon Jones in the middle stages of the race, and led the final 31 laps to earn his first road course win in ARCA. [23] In fourteen races in the main ARCA series, Sawalich won nine races to go with thirteen Top 5s and finished tenth in the points standings. Sawalich's performance during the season contributed to the No. 18 winning the owner's championship in the main ARCA Series.
During the 2024 ARCA Menards Series East season, Sawalich scored three wins and seven top-three finishes to clinch his second consecutive ARCA East championship. [24]
On January 19, 2023, it was announced that Sawalich would join Tricon Garage for six races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, making his debut in the series. [25] He made his debut at Martinsville Speedway, finishing ninth after running near the top ten for most of the race. [26]
After earning three top tens in 2023, Tricon announced that Sawalich would return to the No. 1 team in 2024, this time with an expanded ten-race schedule. [27] Sawalich would start his season with a 21st place finish at Bristol, along with a 26th place finish at Martinsville. During the season, he scored his first career pole at Talladega, one day after his 18th birthday. [28]
On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Sawalich would run the No. 19 for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series part-time in 2024, starting in the fall. Sawalich will run the final three races of the season at Homestead–Miami, Martinsville, and Phoenix. [29] At Phoenix, he scored his first career pole in his third career start. [30]
On October 21, 2024, it was announced that Sawalich will run full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025, driving the No. 18 Toyota for JGR. [31]
William's father, Brandon Sawalich, is the president of Starkey Hearing Technologies, the largest hearing aid manufacturer in the United States. Starkey sponsors his racing efforts. Brandon is the stepson of businessman William F. Austin. [32] He has a sister, Amelia, who is in a relationship with fellow NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Sam Mayer.[ citation needed ]
He is currently an online student at Liberty University Online Academy, and is a client of KHI Management. [33]
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Carolina Pro Late Model Series | 10 | 1 | ? | ? | 1077 | 4th | |
| Cars Pro Late Model Tour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† | ||
| 2022 | Cars Pro Late Model Tour | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 298 | 4th | |
| Cars Late Model Stock Tour | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 116 | 21st | ||
| 2023 | ARCA Menards Series | Joe Gibbs Racing | 13 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 558 | 8th |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 8 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 420 | 1st | ||
| ARCA Menards Series West | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 162 | 15th | ||
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | Tricon Garage | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 138 | 30th | |
| Cars Pro Late Model Tour | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 84 | 28th | ||
| Cars Late Model Stock Tour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 51st | ||
| 2024 | ARCA Menards Series | Joe Gibbs Racing | 14 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 689 | 10th |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 8 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 402 | 1st | ||
| ARCA Menards Series West | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 181 | 16th | ||
| NASCAR Xfinity Series | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† | ||
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | Tricon Garage | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 197 | 30th | |
| Cars Pro Late Model Tour | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ? | ? | ||
| 2025 | NASCAR Xfinity Series | Joe Gibbs Racing |
† As Sawalich was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2024 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 19 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | COA | RCH | MAR | TEX | TAL | DOV | DAR | CLT | PIR | SON | IOW | NHA | NSH | CSC | POC | IND | MCH | DAY | DAR | ATL | GLN | BRI | KAN | TAL | ROV | LVS | HOM 24 | MAR 33 | PHO 13 | 94th | 01 | [34] | ||
| 2025 | 18 | DAY | ATL | COA | PHO | LVS | HOM | MAR | DAR | BRI | CAR | TAL | TEX | CLT | NSH | MXC | POC | ATL | CSC | SON | DOV | IND | IOW | GLN | DAY | PIR | GTW | BRI | KAN | ROV | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO | -* | -* | |||||
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2023 | Tricon Garage | 1 | Toyota | DAY | LVS | ATL | COA | TEX | BRD | MAR 9 | KAN | DAR | NWS | CLT | GTW | NSH | MOH 27 | POC | RCH 10 | IRP 6 | MLW 26 | KAN | BRI 30 | TAL | HOM | PHO | 30th | 138 | [35] |
| 2024 | DAY | ATL | LVS | BRI 21 | COA | MAR 26 | TEX | KAN | DAR | NWS | CLT | GTW | NSH | POC | IRP 12 | RCH 22 | MLW 14 | BRI 11 | KAN | TAL 27 | HOM 17 | MAR 14 | PHO 32 | 30th | 197 | [36] | |||
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)
| ARCA Menards Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2023 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | DAY | PHO 13* | TAL | KAN | CLT | BLN 1 | ELK 2 | MOH 2 | IOW 2* | POC | MCH | IRP 4 | GLN 4 | ISF 5 | MLW 1* | DSF 5 | KAN | BRI 1 | SLM 6 | TOL 1* | 8th | 558 | [37] |
| 2024 | DAY | PHO 1* | TAL | DOV 17* | KAN | CLT | IOW 2 | MOH 1 | BLN 1* | IRP 3 | SLM 1** | ELK 1* | MCH | ISF 1* | MLW 1* | DSF 2 | GLN 2 | BRI 1* | KAN | TOL 1* | 10th | 689 | [38] | |||
| ARCA Menards Series East results | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | AMSEC | Pts | Ref |
| 2023 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | FIF 1** | DOV 4 | NSV 2* | FRS 1 | IOW 2* | IRP 4 | MLW 1* | BRI 1 | 1st | 420 | [39] |
| 2024 | FIF 2* | DOV 17* | NSV 1* | FRS 2 | IOW 2 | IRP 3 | MLW 1* | BRI 1* | 1st | 402 | [40] | |||
| ARCA Menards Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | AMSWC | Pts | Ref |
| 2023 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | PHO 13* | IRW | KCR | PIR 4 | SON 5 | IRW | SHA | EVG | AAS | LVS | MAD | PHO 1* | 15th | 162 | [41] |
| 2024 | PHO 1* | KER | PIR 1* | SON 4 | IRW | IRW | SHA | TRI | MAD | AAS | KER | PHO 2 | 16th | 181 | [42] | |||
Tanner Sean Gray is an American professional racing driver who has competed in drag racing and stock car racing. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 15 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Gray is the youngest professional driver to win a national event in NHRA history, and the youngest driver to win a solo NHRA season championship.
Samuel Adam Mayer is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Haas Factory Team. His father is the founder of QPS Employment Group, and former IndyCar Series driver, Scott Mayer.
Charles Joseph "C. J." McLaughlin is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang for RSS Racing and the Nos. 07 and 14 Chevrolet Camaros for SS-Green Light Racing. He has also previously competed in the NASCAR Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series.
Tyler Randal Gibbs is an American professional stock car racing driver and owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the Nos. 19 and 20 Toyota GR Supras for JGR. Gibbs was the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and 2021 ARCA Menards Series champion. He is the grandson of former NFL coach and NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs. He is also a co-owner of JGR.
Taylor James Gray is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Jesshill Michael Gregory Love is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing.
Kristofer Cole Wright is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for Our Motorsports. He has also previously competed in sports car racing, open-wheel racing, the Euroformula Open Championship, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series. Wright is also the 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class champion.
Samuel L. Smith is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
Rajah Kirby Caruth is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports. On March 1, 2024, Caruth won the 2024 Victoria's Voice Foundation 200, becoming the third Black driver to win in one of NASCAR's three national series, joining Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace.
Bradley Adam Perez is an American professional stock car racing driver and pit crew member. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing and the No. 14 Ford Mustang for SS-Green Light Racing, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 11 Ford Fusion and the No. 10 Toyota Camry for Fast Track Racing. He previously worked as a tire specialist in the Truck Series for Rackley WAR from 2021 to 2022.
Dean Kenneth Thompson is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage, and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. He has previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West.
Charles Connor Mosack is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the Nos. 41 and 45 Chevrolet Silverados for Niece Motorsports and the No. 7 Silverado for Spire Motorsports, part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 28 Chevrolet SS for Pinnacle Racing Group.
Parker Edward Retzlaff is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He also drives part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for MBM Motorsports and the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Beard Motorsports.
The 2023 ARCA Menards Series East was the 37th season of the ARCA Menards Series East, a regional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began on March 25 with the Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway and ended on September 14 with the Bush's Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The 2023 ARCA Menards Series West was the 70th season of the ARCA Menards Series West, a regional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began on March 10 at Phoenix Raceway with the General Tire 150 and ended with the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100, also at Phoenix Raceway, on November 3.
Kaden Wade Honeycutt is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports. He also competes part-time in various 602 Crate Dirt Late Model series, driving the No. 10 Longhorn Chassis for Kaden Honeycutt Racing.
Morgen John Baird is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 53 Ford Mustang for Joey Gase Motorsports. He has competed in select ARCA Menards Series races since 2016.
The 2024 ARCA Menards Series East was the 38th season of the ARCA Menards Series East, a regional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began on March 23 with the Pensacola 150 at Five Flags Speedway and ended on September 19 with the Bush's Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Pinnacle Racing Group is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, and in various Late Model Stock events. The team currently fields the No. 28 Chevrolet SS for Shane Van Gisbergen, Connor Mosack, Connor Zilisch, and Corey Day and the No. 82 Chevrolet SS for Carson Kvapil and Day in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West.
Connor Jackson Zilisch is an American professional racing driver. He is signed as a development driver for Trackhouse Racing as of 2024. Under that agreement, Zilisch competes in select races across multiple racing series, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the ARCA Menards Series, the CARS Tour, the Trans-Am Series, the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the Global MX-5 Cup.
Headquarters: Huntersville, North Carolina | |||||||
| Ownership |
| ||||||
| Personnel | |||||||
| Cup Series |
| ||||||
| Xfinity Series |
| ||||||
| ARCA Menards Series |
| ||||||
| ARCA Menards Series East |
| ||||||
| ARCA Menards Series West |
| ||||||
| eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series |
| ||||||
| Former personnel | |||||||
| NASCAR Hall of Fame | |||||||
| Former drivers |
| ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series Championships |
| ||||||
| NASCAR Xfinity Series Championships |
| ||||||
| ARCA Menards Series Championships | |||||||
| ARCA Menards Series East Championships |
| ||||||
| Daytona 500 wins | |||||||
| Brickyard 400 wins | |||||||
| Coca-Cola 600 wins | |||||||
| Southern 500 wins | |||||||
| Jack Link's 500 wins | |||||||
| All-Star Race wins | |||||||
| Busch Light Clash wins | |||||||
| Partnerships and affiliations | |||||||
