Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that William Sawalich will drive the team’s No. 18 Starkey / SoundGear Toyota GR Supra fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025. Sawalich, who won the 2023 and 2024 ARCA Menards Series East championships driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, will make his Xfinity Series debut this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The 18-year-old Minnesota native has achieved remarkable success over the past two seasons in the ARCA Menards Series. Over the past two seasons, Sawalich has racked up 18 victories in 39 starts across ARCA’s three platforms – national, east, and west. He recently claimed his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series pole award at Talladega Superspeedway, one day after his 18th birthday.
”I am honored to be driving the No. 18 fulltime in the Xfinity Series next year,” Sawalich said. ”It has been really cool to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, and I feel like I have developed so much as a driver over the past two years. I still have a lot to learn, especially with moving to a new series, so I am looking forward to taking this next step in racing.”
The Toyota development driver’s No. 18 will be sponsored by Starkey featuring their SoundGear product line.SoundGear products provide both hearing protection and enhancement products ideal for hunting, competitive shooting, law enforcement, and motorsport teams, its fans, and much more. Engineered and manufactured by Starkey, SoundGear products provide 100% digital sound enhancement to deliver superior environmental awareness, while still protecting your hearing. Starkey is a global leader in hearing technology and premier provider in hearing health care headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Sawalich is joining the winningest team in Xfinity Series history. Joe Gibbs Racing owns 214 wins, including 10 this year. Since the team’s inception, 23 different drivers have taken JGR to victory lane in the Xfinity Series with 14 of those drivers claiming their first career victory in the series driving for JGR. The organization has earned four Xfinity Series driver championships and six owner’s championships.
“We are thrilled to announce William’s promotion to the next stage of his racing career with us,” said Steve de Souza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development at JGR. “His outstanding record of victories and development over the past two years shows he’s ready for the Xfinity Series. We’re confident he’ll remain a strong contender for wins as he takes on this new challenge in 2025.”
JGR PR
