The thrilling race at Phoenix Raceway on Friday night showcased the exceptional talent of two young drivers, both aged 17, who dominated the event by taking turns leading laps. However, it was Sawalich who ultimately surged ahead to claim a comfortable lead following the halfway mark.
On lap 113 of the scheduled 150-lap race, NASCAR had to implement a caution due to lightning strikes occurring within an 8-mile radius of the track.
The race was brought to a halt after 115 laps, and NASCAR officially declared it concluded around 10:05 p.m. ET. This decision secured Sawalich’s victory over Ruggiero. Sawalich led for a total of 66 laps, while Ruggiero led for the remaining 49.
This marks the fifth triumph in the ARCA national series for Sawalich, who previously clinched the ARCA East championship title last season while racing for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Reflecting on the victory, Sawalich expressed mixed feelings, stating, “For sure not the way I wanted to win the race, but I knew we had the best car out there. Our car was really good all night. We kind of fell back in that first stint but then the guys made a real good adjustment. I’m super proud of them for doing that. We just ran a good race, and I knew we definitely had a chance to win it, and I’m really proud of that.”
Grant Enfinger, a regular in the NASCAR Truck Series, secured third place, followed by Connor Mosack in fourth and Sean Hingorani in fifth.
Completing the top 10 were Isabella Robusto, making her debut in the series, Jack Wood, Andres Perez, Toni Breidinger, and Lavar Scott.
Expressing her excitement, Robusto remarked, “It’s unreal. I wish we had one last caution there or the race lasted 15 laps longer. The car was definitely way better on the long runs, and we saw that in the first half. Had a real good car. I think I have a lot I need to kind of go back and watch and learn from – like restarts and learning how the air works is going to be the main things I need to research before the next race.”
