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Going into the 2024 season, William Sawalich was seen as an unknown quantity as far as NASCAR prospects are concerned.
While the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native impressed in 2023, he was not yet old enough to run at tracks over one mile long, and he needed a big season in 2024 to ensure he’d be talked about as one of the best prospects in the sport.
What followed was a lucrative effort put forth by Sawalich, in which he won nine of his 14 ARCA Menards Series starts, had an average finish of 2.5 and only had one finish worse than third.
Given the quality of the car and team underneath him, Sawalich’s success wasn’t shocking, but it was still a major statement from a young driver trying to make a name for himself.
In a modern-day NASCAR where young talent is able to be raised and scouted from the time drivers are in elementary school, standing out from the crowd is tougher than ever to do.
Sawalich Could Be Primed for a Huge Xfinity Series Rookie Season
That’s exactly why Sawalich could be the standout star of a stellar 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie class, which is among the series’ best in its 43-year history.
Those in the 2025 Xfinity Series rookie class include:
- Daniel Dye, 2024 Craftsman Truck Series playoff driver
- Connor Zilisch, who won in his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen on Sept. 14
- Carson Kvapil, short track ace
- Christian Eckes, who made the Craftsman Truck Series Championship 4 in 2024
- Taylor Gray, 2024 Craftsman Truck Series playoff driver
- Nick Sanchez, 2024 Craftsman Truck Series playoff driver
With all due respect to the competitors in the ARCA Menards Series field, Sawalich was a Taladega-sized fish in a Martinsville-sized pond. Zilisch was often his chief competition in the series when he was in the field, and Sawalich was able to easily pull away from the rest of the field on a weekly basis.
Sawalich will now be a small fish in a giant Xfinity Series pond chock-full of talent aside from his fellow rookies, including 2024 champion Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer.
But Sawalich has a chance to get to do what most drivers never do – rise to the occasion when the cards are stacked against him.
Sawalich doesn’t back down from big moments. While the stat sheet doesn’t shine a favorable light on his three Xfinity Series starts at the tail end of 2024, he kept his car mostly clean, refrained from making major mistakes and even won the pole at Phoenix.
His calm demeanor and cool head are rare assets in a modern racing climate of little respect and a mantra of “all take, no give.”
Sawalich’s intangibles align with his all-important talent, forming a race car driver that’s seen as a dying breed.
What are Sawalich’s Expectations?
That’s not to say that Sawalich should be expected to hoist the championship trophy at Phoenix in November, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the young driver find his way into victory lane multiple times in his rookie season.
Sawalich’s performance will undoubtedly be held up next to his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. JGR’s 2025 Xfinity Series lineup is quite unique – it will feature an Xfinity Series veteran in Jones, a green rookie in Gray, Sawalich and a fourth “All Star” car that will be used to house Cup Series drivers, one-off races and most likely, a decent dose of Aric Almirola, who won thrice for JGR’s Xfinity Series program in 2024.
With that being said, what would be considered a stand-out season for Sawalich? That definition will vary depending on the week-to-week performance of his rookie peers, but beating both Jones and Gray in the points standings would be a very solid achievement to add to his resume.
With fans leaning towards Zilisch or Eckes as the likely pick for the Rookie of the Year award, don’t be surprised if Sawalich joins the ROTY conversation by the time summer rolls around. A slight lack of Xfinity Series experience compared to his fellow rookies might be a disadvantage for Sawalich early on, but as he proved in the ARCA Menards Series this year, he’s dangerous once he gets on a roll.
Sawalich has consistently proven to be a driver that can step up both as a favorite and as an underdog. If his results and bulging trophy case don’t already prove it, he’s primed to be one NASCAR’s future stars, and his road to superstardom could begin with a breakout rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025.
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