The General Tire 150 race at Dover Motor Speedway unfolded in ways that no one expected! William Sawalich was racing towards what seemed like an unbeatable victory. But what happened next was no less than a scene out of a Hollywood movie. He came in contact with Connor Zilisch’s car, leading him right out of the race.

The #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver was appalled with what unfolded on the track and had a choice of words for his opponent, which he expressed during a post-race interview.

William Sawalich’s fiery post-race interview with FOX 

Connor Zilisch spent most of his time trying to break into the top 3 but ended up snatching the win from Sawalich. Upon contact with the #28 car, Sawalich, who was leading the race, rammed into the wall and was out with a DNF. In a post-race interview with Bob Pockrass of FOX, the 17-year-old William Sawalich went on to express his disapproval.

He said “Just got together with the 28, not sure what was going through his head, but I had a good restart and put it on his door. I don’t know if he didn’t like that or not, but me and the 20 were doing the same thing. I would think so, because I arced my corner out just to give him a little more room, just to be courteous and race for the lead. I mean, I put it on his door in one and two. I felt like that’s what I should have done. So, we’ll see.”

Sawalich’s outcome may have been unfortunate, but Connor Zilich’s win wasn’t just by a stroke of luck. He is the real deal and his performance speaks for itself. 

Is Connor Zilisch the next big thing in racing?

Connor Zilisch’s 2024 season has been nothing short of amazing, with him managing to do what most veterans fail throughout their careers. From leading Era Motorsport to victory in the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Daytona to securing his inaugural CARS Tour win with Pinnacle Racing Group at Hickory Motor Speedway in April, Zilisch showed extraordinary potential. While his performance in Dover began with a rocky start, he managed to clinch the win. 

Now, with confirmation for three more NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races with Spire Motorsports and a busy schedule ahead, including races in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, he has no intentions of easing off the throttle. 

As Zilisch seems to be making waves in the sport, competitors like William Sawalich need to keep a watchful eye. What did you guys think about the race? Let us know in the comments.