Rising star William Sawalich earned the biggest win of his young Super Late Model career, winning the Curb Records/Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers All American 400 Presented by US Tank & Cryogenic Equipment at Nashville Speedway Sunday afternoon. Sawalich became the event’s youngest winner, beating a stellar 34 car field in front of a huge, sun bathed crowd.
The Minnesota youngster inherited the point after a multi-car incident on lap 212, and would pace the final 88 circuits to earn the $20,000 winner’s share of the ASA STARS National Tour finale. The incident took out the likes of Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse and Jeremy Doss completely, while dashing any hopes of winning for championship contenders Ty Majeski and Cole Butcher.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series star Ty Majeski, who entered the day with a slim eight-point advantage, was leading at the time of the lap 212 melee. He was involved and sustained heavy damage to the right front of the car. The Gearheads Motorsports Team thrashed during the red flag and got Majeski back on track.
The Wisconsin driver was able to limp home to an 11th place finish, good enough to secure the inaugural ASA STARS National Tour championship and the $25,000 bonus. Cole Butcher (-32), Gio Ruggiero (-127), Bubba Pollard (-210) and Austin Nason (-212) unofficially round out the top-five in the final standings.
With the win, Sawalich becomes the youngest winner in All American 400 history at 17 years, one month and two days. Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott and fellow NASCAR driver John Hunter Nemechek also won the All American at 17.
After kicking off the weekend with a win in the ARCA Menards Series West race at Phoenix Raceway, Sawalich made the cross-country flight to Nashville for the All American 400. He was 10th and eighth in the first two stages before he inherited the lead on lap 212, going unchallenged the rest of the way.
“The Donnie Wilson group gave me a really fast Toyota Camry here today and I couldn’t have asked for a better car. I didn’t really think the car was going to be that good on the long run, we were struggling early in the race for grip. We got lucky that those cars had a pileup but I still feel like we had the best car here.”
The ASA STARS National Tour capped off a three-day All American 400 weekend that featured 226 cars between ten different divisions. Champions were crowned for all six quarter-mile divisions and the weekly Pro Late Models, while the CRA Street Stocks and Vore’s Compact Touring Series were also in action.
The event was broadcast live by SPEED SPORT affiliate Midwest Tour.tv.