The field was prepared for one of the most anticipated races of the ARCA Menards Series West season in Sonoma. In the garage, the mood among Joe Gibbs Racing’s team was more tense than triumphant. Their young Xfinity Series rookie, William Sawalich, had shown speed all weekend, securing the pole with a razor-thin margin, but a string of recent disappointments in his rookie campaign weighed heavily on his shoulders.
He arrived at Sonoma Raceway for his first ARCA Menards Series West start of 2025 with a point to prove. After earning his fifth career West pole by edging out Alon Day by just a hundredth of a second, Sawalich was in a strong position to control the race from the outset. The field was stacked with talent, including Christian Eckes and Corey Day, and the 1.99-mile road course is known for its unpredictability and technical demands.
For Sawalich, this race was more than just another race; it was a chance to silence doubts, both inside and outside the garage. The stage was set for a contest that would demand resilience, split-second decision-making, and perhaps, a little redemption.
From setback to showdown, William Sawalich’s defining moment
William Sawalich’s journey this season has been anything but straightforward. His rookie Xfinity campaign has been underwhelming, to say the least. The 18-year-old has just three top-10 finishes in 18 races this season; however, two of them have come at road courses. A ninth-place finish at the Circuit of the Americas, where he started 23rd and made his way up the field, and a gritty 6th place at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
So, heading into Sonoma in the ARCA West Series, the General Tire 200 became a crucible for the young driver, testing his resolve in ways that transcended mere speed. After dominating much of the race, Sawalich’s fortunes took a dramatic turn during a late one-lap shootout. A forceful bump from Alon Day in Turn 1 sent him off track, dropping him from the lead and threatening to extend his run of misfortune. Yet, in that moment of adversity, Sawalich’s composure shone through.
He regrouped quickly, chasing down Day and Christian Eckes as the laps dwindled. The final corners saw a flurry of aggressive moves and contact. Sawalich, undeterred, dove beneath both rivals in a breathtaking maneuver. The finish was a photo-worthy spectacle: Sawalich edged out Eckes by just .066 seconds in a three-wide finish with Alon Day, clinching a wire-to-wire win that instantly became the stuff of Sonoma legend.
“That was definitely our race, but it sucks it had to happen that way,” Sawalich reflected in the aftermath. “We did what we could to get our Starkey Camry in Victory Lane, so I’m glad that we’re here. It took me a while to figure out how to do a burnout.” His words captured both the relief of finally entering victory lane and the lingering frustration of being involved in a rugged finish, a testament to the emotional rollercoaster that defined Joe Gibbs‘ driver’s day.
Insane last lap in the ARCA West race at Sonoma and it ends with William Sawalich winning in a three-wide photo finish. pic.twitter.com/M5whRrLL9f
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) July 12, 2025
William also added, “I don’t really know what happened in [turn] 1. I don’t know if I overshot it, or pretty sure I got ran into. Yeah, think so. But I mean it is what it is. It was a good race, good racing the No. 25 [Alon Day] and everybody else.” The win was Sawalich’s fourth in ARCA West competition and his first of the 2025 season, breaking a winless streak and validating his consistent pace throughout the event.
For Joe Gibbs Racing, the victory was a cathartic release. The team’s recent Xfinity struggles had been well-documented, with near-misses and mechanical failures threatening to derail their momentum. Sawalich’s breakthrough at Sonoma was more than a trophy; it was validation for a driver and crew who had refused to let setbacks define them.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series struggles
Joe Gibbs Racing was once a behemoth in the Xfinity Series. With multiple championships under their belt, including one from Joe Gibbs’ grandson, Ty Gibbs, in 2022, they are usually always in the mix at the top. But 2025 has not been a good year for Joe Gibbs and co. The Toyota team has just 2 wins this season, a shocking drop in form from their lofty heights.
From 2008-2024, JGR boasted at least 8 wins in each Xfinity Series season, winning 19 races on two occasions in 2008 and 2016! This year, with rookie William Sawalich, Brandon Jones, and Taylor Gray in the lineup, JGR has struggled to find consistency. Still, Jones sits 7th in the standings with 1 win at Darlington, and Taylor Gray remains winless and 12th in the standings, with Sawalich lounging in 25th. Meanwhile, part-time entry Aric Almirola holds the team’s only other win in the series at Phoenix.
The clock is ticking for Joe Gibbs’ team. With the playoffs fast approaching and only one driver locked in so far, the team will have to hope for a swift turnaround in fortune in these coming weeks. Sawalich’s Sonoma ARCA win and road course prowess gives them some hope, and they will need to deliver a masterpiece of a performance to topple Shane van Gisbergen this weekend. Do you think JGR is still a contender for the 2025 Xfinity Championship? Let us know in the comments!
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