The Latest Breaking News from William Sawalich

JR Motorsports has locked out the front row for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Sonoma Raceway. Once again, Shane van Gisbergen earned pole position, lapping the track in 1:15.259s, over two tenths clear of teammate Connor Zilisch.

NASCAR driver Katherine Legge said she has been receiving “hate mail” and “death threats” from auto racing fans after a crash last weekend at Rockingham

Sawalich, a 17-year-old development driver with Joe Gibbs Racing, had led the race early but his involvement in an incident with a lapped car sent him to the rear.

In January 2024, the Trackhouse Racing NASCAR Cup Series team co-owned by former racer Justin Marks and Cuban-American rap star Pitbull signed Connor Zilisch to a multi-year development deal. 

As Friday’s 150-lap race wound to a close Zilisch, a 17-year-old development driver for Trackhouse Racing, found himself trying to hold off fellow 17-year-old William Sawalich, a development driver for Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing.

Zilisch, who owns LMP2 class victories in the Daytona 24 and Sebring 12 this year, took the lead for the first time on lap 108 of 150 after getting into William Sawalich while the two raced side-by-side for the lead.

The manufacturer’s TD2 program has produced several noteworthy graduates, including NASCAR Cup driver Christopher Bell, who has advanced to the Championship 4 the past, two seasons, and Xfinity driver John Hunter Nemechek, who will join Bell in Cup and compete with Legacy Motor Club.

Almirola, 39, decided to retire as a full-time Cup Series driver at the end of the 2023 season, having spent the past six years with Stewart-Haas Racing.

Several teams elected to pass on the second day of the test and Saturday’s session ended by 4 p.m. ET after the remaining teams finished early.