William Sawalich achieved a remarkable milestone at Sonoma Raceway on Friday, July 11, 2025, by breaking the 37-year-old ARCA Menards Series West record held by his mentor, bringing the story of Kevin Harvick ARCA record broken full circle. In a fiercely contested finish, Sawalich’s victory not only secured his first win at the track but also rewrote the history books with a photo finish that showcased both bravery and skill.
Sawalich’s Nail-Biting Finish Sets a New Sonoma Standard
At only 18, William Sawalich made history in the General Tire 200, winning by a razor-thin margin of 0.066 seconds. This finish dramatically surpassed the previous closest finish of 0.154 seconds set by Kevin Harvick in 1998. Sawalich’s win was not just record-breaking; it was a bold statement in a race that immediately became legendary for its competitiveness and tension.
Kevin Harvick’s own moment of glory came on October 11, 1998, when, at 22, he won the NASCAR Winston West Series event at Sonoma. In that race, Harvick started third, surged ahead on the final lap, and drove the No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet to victory over Brandon Ash by just 0.154 seconds. That victory was part of Harvick’s championship-winning season, a campaign that marked the launch of a celebrated NASCAR journey, highlighted by five wins and 11 top-five finishes in 14 starts.
Decades later, as the racing world watched, Sawalich found himself in a nearly identical showdown. As a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, he controlled much of the General Tire 200, leading every lap until late-race drama unfolded. With only three laps to go, a caution set the stage for a dramatic overtime finish that would challenge every lesson Sawalich had absorbed from his mentor.
Which race held the record before today?
In October 1998, @KevinHarvick won the NASCAR Winston West Series event at Sonoma by 0.154 seconds over Brandon Ash.
Today, Alon Day finished in THIRD, and was just 0.156 seconds behind William Sawalich.#NASCAR | #ARCA https://t.co/f2mjeUPXwH
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) July 12, 2025
On the crucial restart, Alon Day made aggressive contact that sent Sawalich off track and down to fourth place. Demonstrating intense calm, Sawalich carved his way back, engaging in a high-pressure, three-wide sprint to the finish. The final turn saw multiple exchanges of contact with Christian Eckes, yet Sawalich managed to cross the finish line first, breaking Harvick’s long-standing record in a moment defined by chaos, resilience, and ambition.
The Unique Bond Between Mentor and Protégé in Racing
This milestone is even more poignant because of the direct mentor-student relationship between Harvick and Sawalich. Sawalich has been part of Kevin Harvick Incorporated, the motorsports management operation led by the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion. In recent years, Harvick’s organization, based in Bakersfield, California, has returned to full-time competition, nurturing fresh talent in Late Model Stock and Super Late Model divisions. Sawalich has grown under this guidance, carrying his mentor’s lessons into his own career-defining moments.
What makes this story resonate within the racing community is how it highlights the progression from teacher to student, from one generation of drivers to the next. Sawalich’s achievement demonstrates the power of mentorship, with Harvick’s influence evident in Sawalich’s composure and strategy throughout the race. This historic result, achieved on the same track that launched Harvick’s legacy, brings their intertwined journey full circle in dramatic fashion.
The Sonoma finish showed that racing history is still being written, and it often happens when experience meets determination and new talent dares to reach higher. With this victory, Sawalich not only immortalizes his name alongside legends but also carries forward the tradition of excellence that Kevin Harvick and his organization have established, hinting at an exciting future for both driver and mentor in the world of American motorsport.
