“That was really neat. They have those every Wednesday, where you can go see the Pope and get a blessing. So I was a part of that Wednesday in December.” At the time, it was just a surreal offseason moment for William Sawalich – meeting Pope Leo XIV during a trip to Rome. But fast forward a few months, and that quiet blessing suddenly feels a lot bigger. Because on one of the most meaningful weekends of the year, with today being Holy Saturday and Easter tomorrow, Sawalich delivered a moment that felt almost destined to be a NASCAR race winner at Rockingham!

Sawalich wins his first O’Reilly race

“It means everything. Obviously tough year last year. Tough start to the year. This year, they were with me through everything, my family. Gosh, it feels good to get it done here at Rockingham in front of an awesome crowd.”

You could hear it in William Sawalich’s voice that this wasn’t just another win. It was relief, redemption, and a moment that had been building for a while. At Rockingham Speedway, Sawalich finally broke through, capturing his first career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250.

And he didn’t just sneak into victory lane by just crossing the line first when it mattered. Instead, he earned to be called the NASCAR race winner the hard way, leading 80 of 250 laps in his 42nd career start. In doing so, he also etched his name into the record books as the youngest winner in the track’s history.

But this wasn’t a race that came easy. Starting back in 14th, Sawalich had to carve his way forward while Corey Day controlled the early stages. Day, who started on pole, looked untouchable at first. He swept both Stage 1 and Stage 2, collecting a perfect 20 stage points and leading a race-high 118 laps.

For a while, it felt like everyone else was just racing for second. Then the track started to bite. Rockingham’s abrasive surface began chewing through tires, turning the race into a test of patience and long-run speed. That’s exactly where Sawalich came alive. Lap by lap, he closed the gap, managing his equipment better than anyone else in the field.

By the final stage, he was the guy to beat. And once he got out front, he made sure there were no second chances for anyone behind him. After everything he’s been through, it surely felt like a turning point for the youngest NASCAR race winner at Rockingham. Looks like there was some divine intervention at play here.

Corey Day’s late race fade

While William Sawalich celebrated a breakthrough moment, Corey Day was left replaying the race in his head and wondering how it slipped away. Because for most of the night at Rockingham Speedway, this was Day’s race to lose. And early on, it didn’t look like he would.

He came into the weekend strong, grabbing the pole with a blistering lap of 22.72 seconds (148.96 mph), edging out names like Jesse Love and Parker Retzlaff in a razor-thin qualifying session where the top eight were separated by just 0.14 seconds. And that speed translated immediately once the green flag dropped.

Day controlled the opening stages with authority, sweeping both Stage 1 and Stage 2 while leading 118 laps. At that point, it felt like he had one hand on the trophy. But Rockingham doesn’t let you relax. As the race stretched into longer green-flag runs, tire wear became the ultimate equalizer.

What once looked like dominance slowly turned into a struggle for grip. While others adapted, Day began to fade and lost track position at the worst possible time. By the final run, the driver who had set the pace all night was suddenly fighting just to stay in the top 10.

He eventually crossed the line in 10th, a result that barely reflected how strong he had been earlier in the race. It was a brutal reminder of how quickly things can flip at The Rock. Now, with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series heading to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Suburban Propane 300 on April 11, Day will be looking for one thing: closure.