Sawalich, a 17-year-old development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, initially dominated the race but found himself at the back after getting caught up in an incident with a lapped vehicle.
On a late restart, Lavar Scott took the lead, but Sawalich reclaimed it with just three laps remaining, sparking an intense side-by-side duel between them.
This fierce competition allowed Kris Wright to dive in on the inside of Scott as they approached Turn 4 on the last lap, resulting in a thrilling three-wide finish. The trio collided as they crossed the line, capturing the excitement of the race.
Race winner William Sawalich
Photo by: NASCAR Media
Following a review, Sawalich was confirmed as the winner, and clips of the thrilling finish quickly made their way across social media. Focused on his struggle with Scott, Sawalich remarked that he was completely unaware of Wright’s involvement until after celebrating in Victory Lane.
“I thought Lavar and I raced hard. I really enjoy racing like that—it’s all about giving it your all, and it clearly affected our pace,” Sawalich mentioned during an interview with Motorsport.com.
“It didn’t surprise me that (Wright) caught up because he wasn’t far behind when I passed him on the last restart, and he was doing what he needed to win. So, we all believed we had a chance, but only one of us could take it.”
“I had no idea” it was a three-wide finish
When informed in Victory Lane that a third driver contested the finish besides Scott, Sawalich asked to see a photo.
“I was like, ‘Hold on, who’s that other guy?’ I had no clue,” Sawalich expressed. “Considering how we were positioned crossing the line, I think if I had been going straight, Scott might have had it.”
“I actually watched the finish again just about an hour ago. I’m still amazed—it’s really something special.”
This victory held additional significance as it took place at the Minnesota native’s home track, surrounded by hundreds of family and friends.
“It’s surreal that this happened there, the track where I grew up,” Sawalich shared. “Back when I was racing Legend cars, I dreamed of racing a late model at Elko, and now to win in an ARCA car is incredibly special.”
Race winner William Sawalich
Photo by: NASCAR Media
This win adds to a remarkable season for the rising star in ARCA, marking his fifth victory in the national series, along with one in ARCA East and two in ARCA West. He’s also competed three times in the NASCAR Truck Series with Tricon Garage this year, with another race set for Saturday night at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
Later this year, after turning 18, Sawalich has three scheduled starts in the Xfinity Series with JGR.
“I feel this year has been excellent,” he stated. “However, I do wish I were leading the ARCA East points. I believe we are doing well in the owners’ points race in the national series with the No. 18.”
“My main focus is to regain those points in the East since I got wrecked at Dover by (Connor Zilisch). I’m determined to catch up.”
Steve de Souza, JGR’s executive vice president of Xfinity and development, attended Sawalich’s Elko victory and praised the driver’s resilience in overcoming challenges to secure his win.
“Everybody was at an angle, which really changed the whole dynamic,” de Souza commented about the finish. “They were sliding, and the cars were sideways. It just happened that our splitter crossed the line first.”
“This was a testament to how much William has developed over the past year. It’s exciting to witness the growth and talent emerge in these young drivers,” he added.
De Souza mentioned that such a finish was unexpected at a short track, typically more common on superspeedways.
“It highlighted the drivers’ exceptional racing skills,” he noted. “They didn’t crash into one another; rather, they displayed impressive talent, which made it enjoyable to watch.”
Having worked with numerous successful young talents at JGR, De Souza sees great potential in Sawalich’s NASCAR journey.
“He’s very composed and wise beyond his years,” De Souza observed. “He is growing increasingly mature and recognizes the significance of social media, as well as the value of race fans and the audience that engages with us.”
“These qualities are crucial for our sport regarding sponsorship and how he represents himself, his family, and the company. He’s very aware of all that, and that makes working with him a breeze.”
