Joe Gibbs Racing extends William Sawalich through 2027
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 7, 2026
Sawalich extension
Joe Gibbs Racing locked in William Sawalich for another run in the No. 18 SoundGear Toyota GR Supra, keeping the driver in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and keeping longtime sponsor SoundGear attached to the entry. The move gives the team continuity around one of its top prospects and adds another chapter to a relationship that has grown since Sawalich joined the organization late in the year. Team owner Heather Gibbs said the No. 18 group is expected to keep building on its success through the rest of the season and into the next. Sawalich said he was excited to keep building with the team, a fitting response for a driver who has already moved quickly through the JGR pipeline. The extension also sets up his third full-time season with Joe Gibbs Racing, a sign the organization sees him as part of its longer-term plan in the O'Reilly Series.
Sawalich breakthrough
Sawalich’s deal comes after the biggest win of his O'Reilly Series career, a victory at Rockingham Speedway that showed why Joe Gibbs Racing believes in him. He led 80 laps in that race and finished the job for his first series win. The result fit a season that has given him front-running speed and steady finishes. He has six top-five finishes, nine top-10 finishes and one pole award, while also posting four DNFs. The numbers show a driver who has been quick enough to contend and resilient enough to keep stacking results. Sawalich also sits seven points behind Taylor Gray in 12th place and 29 points behind Sam Mayer in 10th, so the late-season standings still leave room for movement. He ranks ninth among full-time drivers with 131 laps led, a useful marker for a young racer who has spent much of the season near the front. Rockingham gave him the proof of concept. The extension gives him a chance to turn that into a longer run of results.
Sawalich path
The extension also reflects how far Sawalich has come since he entered the Joe Gibbs Racing system. He won two ARCA Menards East championships with the team and collected 20 ARCA wins before making his O'Reilly Series debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He then raced full time in the series the following year and kept moving up the organizational ladder. That track record explains why he remains listed among the top NASCAR prospects. Sawalich has already shown he can win in different settings, and the body of work behind him gives JGR a clear picture of the driver it is backing. He has the experience of a veteran in some areas and the upside of a rising talent in others, along with the support of a team that has invested in him since his junior-stock-car days. The new contract keeps the focus on development, performance and continuity. For Joe Gibbs Racing, that means a familiar car, a familiar sponsor and a driver it expects to keep growing within the program.
