Just 15 laps into Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity, chaos broke out. Driving through the tri-oval at the front of the field, Sheldon Creed got loose, and Jeb Burton hit him from behind. While it seemed like a close call at first, 10 cars were collected from that incident eventually during the 16-minute, 19-second red flag. But that wasn’t the only action in Talladega on the weekend, and now the fans are left praying…

The NASCAR Xfinity Series reached its midpoint of the Round of 8 at Talladega with all drivers looking poised to secure their spot in the Championship 4. But late in stage 2, a six-car crash tore through the park. By the end of the ten-minute and 35-second red flag, Connor Mosack and Dean Thompson were evaluated and released from the infield care center. However, Joe Gibbs’ Xfinity series rookie, William Sawalich transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

No updates are yet out for Sawalich, but it is confirmed that he was awake and alert when he was transported.

During the crash in United Rentals 250, Leland Honeyman got turned while the field went four wide into Turn 1 and slammed into Connor Zilisch. As the wreck escalated, Mosack spun up the track and got hit hard by Thompson. Sawalich nearly made it through the wreck, but Mosack came sliding up in front of him. The six-car wreck forced another red flag of ten minutes and 35 seconds. Sawalich, Thompson, and Mosack were unable to continue.

With just a few laps left before the break, NASCAR officials threw the red flag as crews rushed to clean up the mess and lay down Speedy Dry in Turn 1. The race was consequently resumed.

Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Sawalich looked formidable on the track, as he started the United Rentals 250 alongside pole-sitter and Richard Childress Racing‘s driver, Jesse Love. Although he dropped a few spots by stage 1, rounding off the 10th place, he also managed to lead 2 laps of the 100 laps.

Hopefully, the NASCAR world gets good news about Sawalich amid this horrifying crash. So far, the 19-year-old has been doing pretty well for himself. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sawalich has bagged three top fives and nine top tens in his rookie Xfinity Series season. He failed to make the playoffs despite runner-up finishes in the final two regular-season races. But his consistency and speed show why he can be a threat in the field.

Yesterday, too, in the NASCAR Truck Series, 73-year-old Norm Benning was involved in a scary fireball incident. While he was running deep in the field, towards the rear, his No. 6 Chevrolet suffered a blown engine entering Turn 1, sending a plume of smoke that quickly ignited into flames around the truck. The veteran did not suffer any burns.

As the dust settled at Talladega, Austin Hill triumphed over the playoff drivers. And as Norm Benning, of the Truck Series, returns to Martinsville amid his fiery crash, one would hope to see Sawalich return for the last race of the Round of 8 in the Xfinity Series. But before the NASCAR garage heads to Martinsville next weekend, the NASCAR community is sending in prayers for the rookie.

NASCAR fans rally behind Sawalich

Just after the terrifying crash at Talladega, fans across social media were left shaken. One viewer summed up the mood succinctly: “Not surprised, that was a big, big hit. Hope he’s all good.” It is never a good thing when a car continues to move forward on its own despite being crashed. In Sawalich’s case, it was at least some yards ahead of the origin. Most probably, the step was taken out of precaution to keep the rookie driver safe. However, we do hope for a fresh update on his health for confirmation.

Another, with a touch of humor mixed with genuine concern, wrote, “Hoping he is ok and can race next week. Gonna sound ridiculously stupid, but dude was my biggest rival in ARCA in NASCAR 25 haha. So kind of started respecting him through that lmao.” Even among virtual competitors and casual fans, the concern was partly proof of how moments like this transcend rivalry.

For those who witnessed the recon in person, the impact hit even harder. “I was in (Turn) 1 when it happened. I saw him go headfirst and knew this was likely happening. That’s one of the hardest hits I’ve seen in person,” shared one spectator, recalling the split second when the crowd went silent. Another added their experience, writing, “Big hit, into the wall and then two cars hit him at the same time. Can really shake your head up.” Others echoed the same sentiments of unease and empathy, regardless of allegiance.

As one fan admitted, “I’m not a big fan of him, but I hate seeing anyone possibly being hurt. I hope he’s OK.” In a sport built on fierce competition, the concerns were a reminder that beneath the noise of the rivalries, the NASCAR community stands united when safety is on the line.