William George Jerome Sawalich (born October 3, 2006) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the Nos. 1 and 5 Toyota Tundra TRD Pros for Tricon Garage, and the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Halmar Friesen Racing, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for JGR. He is the 2023 and 2024 ARCA Menards Series East champion.
Racing career Early career 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.
Sawalich 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. He won an INEX sanctioned Legends division feature race at Elko Speedway (MN) on August 22, 2020.
Late models 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, 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 seventeenth 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. His streak came to an end at Tri-County in September, after he got spun on the last lap by Jake Garcia.
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.
ARCA ARCA Menards Series
On December 9, 2022, it was announced that Sawalich would join Joe Gibbs Racing to run twenty races in the ARCA Menards Series. Sawalich would make his debut at Phoenix, winning the pole and finishing thirteenth. He earned his first ARCA main win at Berlin Raceway, after passing Jesse Love for the lead with two laps to go.
On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Sawalich would run a more expanded ARCA Menards Series schedule. He would run the No. 18 for the fourteen races in the series. Tanner Gray would drive the No. 18 for the six tracks in the ARCA Menards Series that Sawalich was too young to race at. He would start his season in the ARCA Menards Series with a victory at Phoenix after leading 66 laps in a weather-shortened race. At Dover, Sawalich won the pole and once again led the most laps, before being involved in a late race incident, unable to complete the race and finished seventeenth, the first DNF in his career. In fourteen races in the main ARCA series, Sawalich won nine races to go with thirteen top-fives 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.
ARCA Menards Series East
On December 9, 2022, it was announced that Sawalich would join Joe Gibbs Racing. This included a full season in the ARCA Menards Series East. In his first start at Five Flags Speedway, Sawalich won the pole and led every lap to earn his first career ARCA win. 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. He earned his second win of the season at ARCA's return to Flat Rock Speedway, leading the final fifty laps of the race. Following the Bristol race, Sawalich clinched the ARCA Menards Series East championship.
On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Sawalich would return full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East. In the first race of the season, Sawalich would lead the most laps at Five Flags, but he would end up finishing second to Gio Ruggiero. At Dover, Sawalich won the pole and once again led the most laps, before being involved in a late race incident, unable to complete the race and finished seventeenth, the first DNF in his career. In the following race at Nashville, Sawalich rebounded and led 145 of the 150 lap race to score the dominating win. Overall, Sawalich scored three wins and seven top-three finishes to clinch his second consecutive ARCA East championship.
ARCA Menards Series West
On December 9, 2022, it was announced that Sawalich would join Joe Gibbs Racing to run select races in the ARCA Menards Series West. Sawalich would make his debut at Phoenix, winning the pole and finishing thirteenth.
On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Sawalich would run a partial ARCA Menards Series West schedule. He would start his season with a victory at Phoenix after leading 66 laps in a weather-shortened race. 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.
Sawalich returned in 2025, where he would earn wins at Sonoma by leading all 65 laps and winning by a measly 0.066 seconds over Christian Eckes and at Portland for the second straight year.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
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. He made his debut at Martinsville Speedway, finishing ninth after running near the top ten for most of the race.
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. 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 eighteenth birthday.
NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series
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 ran the final three races of the season at Homestead, Martinsville, and Phoenix. At Phoenix, he scored his first career pole in his third career start.
On October 21, 2024, it was announced that Sawalich would run full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025, driving the No. 18 Toyota for JGR. Sawalich started the season with a 28th-place DNF at Daytona. Throughout the year, he earned top-ten finishes at Atlanta, COTA, Mexico City, Sonoma, Dover, Indianapolis, and Charlotte Roval. Sawalich would earn his second career pole at Nashville. His best finish of the season came at Portland and Gateway, finishing second. During the Talladega fall race, Sawalich was involved in a multi-car wreck during the second stage with Connor Mosack and Dean Thompson, causing him to stay in a nearby hospital overnight. He would later miss the following race at Martinsville Speedway due to concussion-like symptoms, and would be replaced by Justin Bonsignore. It was later announced that Sawalich would also miss the final race in the season at Phoenix Raceway. He would be replaced once again by Bonsignore.
On January 6, 2026, it was announced that Sawalich would be retained by JGR for the 2026 season. He started the season with a 26th-place DNF at Daytona. He won his first career race at Rockingham, becoming the first Minnesota-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race.
Personal life 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 step-grandson of businessman William F. Austin.
Sawalich was an online student at Liberty University Online Academy, and is a client of KHI Management.
Motorsports career results
Stock car career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Top 5 Top 10 Points Position 2021 Carolina Pro Late Model Series 10 1 ? ? 1077 4th Cars Super 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 31 0 3 9 636 18th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Tricon Garage 5 0 0 1 0 NC† ARCA Menards Series Joe Gibbs Racing 4 0 3 4 164 24th ARCA Menards Series East 1 0 1 1 43 46th ARCA Menards Series West 2 2 2 2 98 23rd † As Sawalich was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
O'Reilly Auto Parts Series NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts 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 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 HOM24 MAR33 PHO13 94th 01 2025 18 DAY28 ATL9 COA9 PHO13 LVS38 HOM24 MAR27 DAR35 BRI34 CAR25 TAL37 TEX13 CLT15 NSH34 MXC6 POC21 ATL36 CSC37 SON3 DOV9 IND6 IOW11 GLN26 DAY12 PIR2 GTW2 BRI15 KAN11 ROV7 LVS12 TAL30 MAR PHO 18th 636 2026 DAY26 ATL23 COA7 PHO37 LVS9 DAR17 MAR20 CAR1 BRI7 KAN20 TAL28 TEX15 GLN36 DOV4 CLT4 NSH3 POC21 COR36 SON13 CHI29 ATL4 IND5 IOW3 DAY37 DAR30 GTW16 BRI2 LVS8 CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM -* -*
Craftsman Truck Series 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 24 25 Pts Ref 2023 Tricon Garage 1 Toyota DAY LVS ATL COA TEX BRD MAR9 KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH MOH27 POC RCH10 IRP6 MLW26 KAN BRI30 TAL HOM PHO 30th 138 2024 DAY ATL LVS BRI21 COA MAR26 TEX KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH POC IRP12 RCH22 MLW14 BRI11 KAN TAL27 HOM17 MAR14 PHO32 30th 197 2025 DAY9 ATL30 LVS22 HOM MAR BRI CAR TEX KAN NWS CLT NSH24 MCH POC LRP IRP GLN11 RCH DAR BRI NHA ROV TAL MAR PHO 88th 01 2026 DAY ATL STP DAR10 CAR BRI -* -* 5 TEX17 GLN DOV14 CLT10 NSH30 MCH COR LRP NWS IRP RCH NHA Halmar Friesen Racing 62 Toyota BRI7 KAN CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM
Season still in progress Ineligible for series points
ARCA Menards Series (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 Pts Ref 2023 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota DAY PHO13* TAL KAN CLT BLN1 ELK2 MOH2 IOW2* POC MCH IRP4 GLN4 ISF5 MLW1* DSF5 KAN BRI1 SLM6 TOL1* 8th 558 2024 DAY PHO1* TAL DOV17* KAN CLT IOW2 MOH1 BLN1* IRP3 SLM1** ELK1* MCH ISF1* MLW1* DSF2 GLN2 BRI1* KAN TOL1* 10th 640 2025 DAY2* PHO TAL9 KAN2 CLT4 MCH BLN ELK LRP DOV IRP IOW GLN ISF MAD DSF BRI SLM KAN TOL 24th 164 2026 DAY PHO KAN TAL GLN TOL MCH POC BER ELK CHI24 LRP IRP IOW ISF MAD DSF SLM BRI KAN 121st 20
ARCA Menards Series East