Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Monday that William Sawalich will pilot the No. 18 Toyota full-time during the 2025 Xfinity Series season.
Next year will mark the rookie campaign for the 18-year-old prospect from Minnesota, who has made 13 starts in the Craftsman Truck Series with Tricon Garage. He’s scored three top 10s and captured a pole award earlier this month at Talladega Superspeedway.
“I am honored to be driving the No. 18 full-time in the Xfinity Series next year,” Sawalich said in a team release. “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.”
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Sawalich has dominated in the ARCA Menards Series, winning 18 of his 39 starts across all three platforms — national, east and west. He will pair with Taylor Gray for JGR next season, who will pilot the No. 54 entry.
“We are thrilled to announce William’s promotion to the next stage of his racing career with us,” Steve de Souza, executive vice president of Xfinity Series and development at JGR, said in a team release. “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.”
Starkey will sponsor the Toyota development driver’s No. 18, featuring their SoundGear product line.
The 2025 Xfinity Series season begins on Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway.