NASCAR LIVE WIDE OPEN Episode 220 : William Sawalich, Bristol Preview

·19 min·1 clip

How did a kid from Minnesota with no family racing connections become a NASCAR winner?

The episode opens with Toyota Racing and Powerball promotional segments, followed by a race recap highlight. Host Mike Bagley introduces the show from Rockingham Speedway, noting Cup cars were off and focusing on lower series. Bagley interviews William Sawalich, driver of the #18 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, who just won his first NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race. Sawalich walks through the Rockingham win, explaining how he qualified 14th but moved through traffic by learning to handle dirty air on the aerosensitive track. He describes it as a near-perfect day, especially with his mother present on Easter weekend. Bagley probes Sawalich's background, revealing his parents had no racing connections; his interest sparked from watching crash highlights with a friend at age nine. Sawalich started in quarter midgets at Little Elko Speedway in Minnesota, then progressed to legend cars, late models, and Trans Am vehicles, often racing multiple cars in a weekend. He reflects on his atypical youth, where racing became his weekend fun instead of typical activities, but he maintains friendships back home. Sawalich is the first Minnesotan to win in Trucks, O'Reilly, or Cup series, which he finds cool given his local racing community. He discusses his second full-time year with Joe Gibbs Racing, crediting teammates like Brandon Jones and Eric Emeril for guidance. The conversation turns to Bristol, where Sawalich will race next in the Suburban Propane 300. He details preparation using simulator time and studying Kyle Larson's onboard footage, describing Bristol as a concrete bowl with 16-second lap times that require mental focus and physical endurance. Bagley then shifts to a Cup Series preview with producer Trey, who analyzes odds for the Food City 500 at Bristol. Trey notes a new tire compound and picks Ty Gibbs at 9-1 as a potential first-time winner, citing Gibbs' strong performances at Bristol. Longshot picks include Chris Buescher at 30-1 and Justin Allgaier at 100-1. The episode wraps with upcoming race coverage details and sponsor ads for Craftsman and ZONE nicotine pouches.

As heard by us

A first series win frames Sawalich's Minnesota roots, ARCA path, and place inside Joe Gibbs Racing.

William Sawalich's first O'Reilly Auto Part Series win gives NASCAR Live Wide Open a clean way into the story of a young driver meeting a bigger stage.

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Why you'd press play

You want a Minnesota driver's first big win told through the people, places, and racing steps around him.

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