William Sawalich endured a disappointing afternoon in Saturday's The Progress Group 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing 29th after showing competitive speed during the opening stages. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver qualified ninth and entered the event hoping to secure another strong result.
Sawalich initially remained among the leading competitors, finishing 10th in Stage 1 and earning one valuable stage point. His No. 18 Toyota continued showing speed during Stage 2, working with several drivers to challenge the dominant JR Motorsports group. Sawalich also gained track position following the opening stage when he exited pit road among the leading competitors.
However, the constantly changing drafting lanes eventually shuffled him deeper into
the field. The race's first significant accident occurred on Lap 57, collecting several championship contenders and reshaping the running order. Sawalich remained in competition but could not regain a leading position during the final stage.
He ultimately finished 29th, completing all 94 laps and earning nine points. The disappointing result prevented Sawalich from making significant progress in the overall NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series standings. He remains 14th with 775 points, sitting 23 behind Brent Crews.
Having missed the championship Chase, Sawalich will attempt to rebound at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: William Sawalich's race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega
