JGR Rookie Sawalich Soars To Nashville Xfinity Pole

William Sawalich celebrates his NASCAR Xfinity Series pole at Nashville Superspeedway. (Rusty Jarrett/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

LEBANON, Tenn. – William Sawalich won his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series pole in qualifying Saturday ahead of the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Sawalich wheeled his No. 18 Starkey Toyota GR Supra across the line with a 30.860-second lap (155.152 mph) for top qualifying honors and the $2,000 Kennametal Pole Award.

It’s the Sunoco rookie-of-the-year contender and Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s first visit to the 1.333-mile concrete oval.

The last pole position for the Eden Prairie, Minn., native came during NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway last season. In his first full-time season, the 18-year-old has given himself a solid chance to take home a guitar from Music City in his maiden visit.

At the very least, Sawalich looks to improve on his two top 10 finishes thus far this season, a disappointing start to the year that has him motivated for future success.

“Our car was pretty strong throughout practice and, obviously, in qualifying as well,” noted Sawalich. “I’m super happy to start up front because I believe clean air is going to matter. We just have to get all the little things right to finally get the ball rolling the way we want to for the second half of the season.”

Alongside the rookie will be Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill, already a three-time winner on the year. In his past four races at Nashville, Hill has not finished any worse than ninth.

Hill posted a 30.944-second lap (154.731 mph) with the No. 21 Chevrolet to flank Sawalich on the front row.

Sam Mayer rolls off third in the No. 41 Audibel Ford Mustang for Haas Factory Team, followed by defending Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier in fourth, who brings the most experience in the field to Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

Saturday night marks Allgaier’s 11th start at the Middle Tennessee track.

Mayer’s Haas Factory Team teammate Sheldon Creed will start on his bumper in fifth, with JR Motorsports’ Carson Kvapil rounding out the top six.

Seventh will be Nick Sanchez, with his Big Machine Racing team hoping to celebrate their home race with a victory. Aric Almirola, Coca-Cola 600 winner Ross Chastain – playing double duty between JR Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing on Sunday – and Connor Zilisch closed out the top 10 in qualifying.

Notables starting deeper in the field include Christian Eckes (12th), Jesse Love (15th), dirt open-wheel savant Corey Day (21st), Anthony Alfredo (23rd), Josh Williams (26th), and Jeffrey Earnhardt (34th), who is back with Sam Hunt Racing in a second entry at Nashville and needed a provisional to make the field.

Failing to qualify for the Tennessee Lottery 250 were the No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports entry of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour veteran Glen Reen, who received the call to come qualify the car late Thursday, and open-wheel and sports car racer Katherine Legge in the No. 32 for Jordan Anderson Racing.

Broadcast coverage of the Tennessee Lottery 250 is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET, live on The CW, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.