UPDATE: Sunday, October 19 at 1:30 PM ET:
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) confirmed on Sunday, just after 3:00 AM ET, that William Sawalich had been released from a local hospital following his wreck in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event on Saturday.
Sawalich, taking to social media on Sunday, said the following: “Appreciate all the messages and calls last night. Finally made it back home from Talladega — a little sore, but feeling better and thankful for the support. Grateful for my team, the racing community, the NASCAR medical staff, nurses and doctors at UAB Hospital, friends and family.
There is no word, at this time, on any potential injuries for Sawalich, or whether he’ll be able to compete in next weekend’s event at Martinsville Speedway.
William Sawalich, driver of the No. 18 SoundGear Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, has been transported to a local hospital for further evaluation, per NASCAR, after a vicious accident in Saturday’s United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The 19-year-old driver was involved in a multi-car accident at Lap 46 in Saturday’s event at Talladega Superspeedway, which was triggered when Leland Honeyman got turned to the inside of the racetrack in a four-wide situation.
Connor Mosack, driving the No. 99 for Viking Motorsports, was riding behind the incident and, while trying to avoid the sideways Honeyman, overcorrected and spun back up the racetrack, slamming into Dean Thompson, and, eventually, William Sawalich.
Sawalich, who started on the outside of the front row for Saturday’s final superspeedway event of 2025 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, not only took a brutal impact into the outside SAFER Barrier, but also absorbed the force of the impact from Mosack’s No. 99 Chevrolet.
Another big wreck sees Playoff points leader @ConnorZilisch among those taking damage. pic.twitter.com/CagaFdW381
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) October 18, 2025
While things appeared to be normal after the incident, The CW did not have cameras pointed at William Sawalich, Dean Thompson, or Connor Mosack climbing out of their own vehicles to be transported to the infield care center.
NASCAR says that both Thompson and Mosack were checked and released from the infield care center. Sawalich, a rookie in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will be going to a local hospital, though.
Sawalich has had a difficult rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season, capturing three top-five and nine top-10 finishes throughout the first 30 events of the season. However, things have swung into a better position for the driver of the No. 18 in the second-half of the year.
Leland Honeyman, Connor Zilisch, Dean Thompson, William Sawalich, and Connor Mosack were the five drivers involved in the second major wreck of the afternoon. This one, much like the first, required a red flag for extensive cleanup needed in Turn 1.
Additional updates on Sawalich’s condition will be added to this story as they become available, as well as covered on TobyChristie.com.
