UPDATE #1 – Friday, December 9th at 1:00pm ET:
A representative from Joe Gibbs Racing has confirmed to TobyChristie.com the 20-race schedule for William Sawalich in the ARCA Menards Series for 2023:
.@WilliamSawalich will run these 20 #ARCA-sanctioned races in '23, @JoeGibbsRacing tells @TobyChristieCom:
Phoenix, 5 Flags, Dover, Nashville, Flat Rock, Portland, Sonoma, Berlin, Elko, Mid-Ohio, Iowa, IRP, WGI, Springfield, Milwaukee, DuQuoin, Bristol, Salem, Toledo & Phoenix.
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) December 9, 2022
Sawalich will compete in the national division of the ARCA Menards Series
Sawalich will pilot the No. 18 Toyota Camry in 13 of the national division of the ARCA Menards Series, in events at Phoenix (March 10), Berlin (June 17), Elko (June 24), Mid-Ohio (July 7), Iowa (July 15), IRP (August 11), Watkins Glen (August 18), Springfield (August 20), Milwaukee (August 27), DuQuoin (September 3), Bristol (September 14), Salem (September 30), and Toledo (October 7).
The 16-year-old will also compete full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East, competing in the four standalone events at Five Flags (March 25), Dover (April 28), Nashville (May 13), and Flat Rock (May 20), as well as the four companion events at Iowa, IRP, Milwaukee, and Bristol.
Finally, Sawalich will compete in three standalone events in the ARCA Menards Series West, joining the circuit for the back-to-back road course run at Portland (June 2), and Sonoma (June 9), in addition to the season-finale at Phoenix (November 4).
Sawalich will also join the West Series for its season-opening event at Phoenix, a companion race with the ARCA Menards Series.
Additionally, Joe Gibbs Racing has confirmed to TobyChrisite.com that the organization will compete for the 2023 ARCA Menards Series Owner’s Championship, with another driver to fill the schedule being announced at a later date.
A representative from @JoeGibbsRacing confirms to @TobyChristieCom that the team will compete for the 2023 @ARCA_Racing Series Owner's Title.
The organization will announce who is rounding out the schedule in the No. 18 Toyota Camry at a later date.#NASCAR
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) December 9, 2022
ORIGINAL STORY (Friday, December 9 at 11am):
Joe Gibbs Racing will continue to hold a presence in the ARCA Menards Series for another year, announcing the signing of 16-year-old William Sawalich to a multi-year agreement, which will begin in 2023.
Sawalich will compete in 20 events across the three divisions of the ARCA Menards Series next season, beginning with the season-opener for the ARCA Menards Series West at Phoenix Raceway on March 10 – a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series.
“We take a lot of pride in our development program with Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing and we think William has shown tremendous potential to become a great driver in our sport,” said Steve DeSouza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Driver Development. “He has already shown the desire and dedication it takes to be successful at his young age and we’re excited to watch his progress through ARCA and ultimately NASCAR ranks.”
Additionally, Sawalich will be on the hunt for Joe Gibbs Racing’s second title in the ARCA Menards Series East, competing in the series’ full eight-race schedule. Should Sawalich be successful in doing so, it would be the third straight title for the No. 18.
“I am thankful for the opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota and am humbled to be in the presence of a great leader like Coach Gibbs,” Sawalich said. “I know that he has put together a great team and the results show with the drivers that have come before me. My goal is to learn from their expertise, work hard and represent JGR well. I think together, we are capable of great things in the coming years.”
Sponsorship for Sawalich’s effort in the ARCA Menards Series will come from Starkley Hearing, one of the largest manufacturers of hearing aids in the world, based out of Sawalich’s hometown of Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Having made a name for himself over the last year competing in Late Model Stocks, Pro Late Models, and Super Late Models, Sawalich was able to net an incredible 15 victories across various tracks and divisions.
The 16-year-old joins an organization that has seen unmatched success in the ARCA Menards Series as of late, with the team capturing the 2021 ARCA Menards Series title with Ty Gibbs, and the 2021 ARCA East title with Sammy Smith.
In the last four seasons, Ty Gibbs alone has been able to secure 18 victories in the ARCA Menards Series, allowing him to quickly move onto the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he captured the title in his first full-time season.
Additional scheduling details were not released at the time of the announcement.
