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 ¼-mile divisions and the weekly Pro Late Models, while the CRA Street Stocks and Vore’s Compact Touring Series were also in action.
All American 400 Results:
- William Sawalich
- Derek Thorn
- Michael House
- Austin Nason
- Willie Allen
- Dustin Smith
- Jake Finch
- Billy VanMeter
- Logan Bearden
- Jacob Goede
- Ty Majeski
- TJ Duke
- Josh Hicks
- Johnny Aramendia
- Tommy Joe Martins
- Michael Hinde
- Hunter Wright
- Luke Fenhaus
- Jake Garcia
- Albert Francis
- Ty Fredrickson
- Cole Butcher
- Bubba Pollard
- Jeremy Doss
- Stephen Nasse
- Gio Ruggiero
- Jordon Riddick
- Chase Burda
- Matt Craig
- Johnny Brazier
- Jackson Boone
- Allen Karnes
- Johnny Sauter
For more information on the ASA STARS National Tour, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).
ASA STARS National Tour
The ASA STARS National Tour debuted in March 2023 for Super Late Model racing in America. Announced in October 2022, many of the best drivers in America will compete in the ten-race national tour with a minimum $100,000 point fund. The championship team will be guaranteed $25,000.
The ASA STARS National Tour is made up of three races from each of the regional pavement Super Late Model Series under the Track Enterprises banner – the ASA/CRA Super Series, the ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Southern Super Series.
The Team Construction Winner’s Circle program has been announced as a part of the ASA STARS National Tour for licensed drivers/teams with perfect attendance. The program provides additional financial incentives to those teams who support the series.
Track Enterprises, a racing promotions company based in Illinois, will operate the ASA STARS National Tour. It announced the acquisition of Champion Racing Association (CRA) in January 2022 and followed that up with the purchase of the Midwest Tour in July. In October, Track Enterprises President Bob Sargent announced a partnership with the Southern Super Series, which set the table for the formation of the ASA STARS National Tour.
Photo: Daniel Vining