The sixth race of the 2025 ARCA Menards Series West season, the General Tire 200, took place at Sonoma Raceway on the evening of April 11, featuring 26 drivers. William Sawalich, driving the #18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, delivered a commanding performance to secure his first win of the 2025 ARCA Menards Series West Sonoma season. This victory marked his fourth career triumph in the West series and the 24th overall across ARCA’s three divisions.
Race Summary: A Pole-to-Win Effort
Sawalich started on pole and controlled the race by leading every one of the 65 laps. The 18-year-old Xfinity Series regular successfully defended his lead during a one-lap overtime shootout, narrowly finishing 0.066 seconds ahead of Christian Eckes. Alon Day rounded out the podium in third place, with Trevor Huddleston and Tyler Reif completing the top five. The remaining top ten included Eric Nascimento, Corey Day, Kyle Keller, Tanner Reif, and Jeff Anton.
Post-Race Reflections from Victory Lane
After crossing the finish line, Sawalich shared his thoughts on the win:
“That was definitely our race, but it sucks it had to happen that way. We did what we could to get our Starkey Camry in Victory Lane, so I’m glad that we’re here. It took me a while to figure out how to do a burnout.” —William Sawalich, Driver
Looking Ahead to the Next ARCA Menards Series West Event
The ARCA Menards Series West competitors will next gather at Tri-City Raceway on August 9 for the seventh race of the 2025 season. As the season progresses, Sawalich’s impressive start adds excitement and momentum to the championship battle within the series.