Talladega gave viewers exactly what they’d hoped for going into Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. While the Round of 8 clash was already a hotbed for scintillating action, the excitement, unfortunately, turned into dread soon as one driver ended up in the hospital.

The incident unfolded in Turn 1 of Lap 45 when Leland Honeyman contacted Harrison Burton and skidded sideways, first collecting point leader Connor Zilisch. Connor Mosack, meanwhile, in an attempt to dodge the clash hit Blaine Perkins instead, and ultimately slid to hit the left front of William Sawalich’s card hard.

Both the cars hit the outside SAFER barrier at full speed, taking evident damage to their cars. The race had to be halted for more than 10 minutes, while the drivers were taken for evaluation. By the end of the ten-minute and 35-second red flag, Mosack was 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.

Update: William Sawalich has been released from the hospital. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver took to his official X account about an hour ago to write, “Appreciate all the messages and calls last night.  Finally made it back home from Talladega — a little sore, but feeling better and thankful for all the support. Grateful for my team, the racing community, the NASCAR medical staff, nurses and doctors at UAB Hospital, friends and family.”

That said, Sawalich looked formidable on the track, as he started the United Rentals 250 alongside pole-sitter and Richard Childress Racing‘s driver, Jesse Love. But keeping the crash aside, the 19-year-old has been doing pretty well for himself, already bagging three Top-5s and nine Top-10s. 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.

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For now, though, fans are left praying for the young driver…

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.