William Sawalich ruled out again at Phoenix
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joe Gibbs Racing ruled William Sawalich out with concussion-like symptoms for the second NASCAR Xfinity Series race in a row.
Justin Bonsignore will drive Sawalich’s No. 18 Toyota in Saturday’s Xfinity Series finale at Phoenix Raceway after Sawalich didn’t receive medical clearance.
“As a driver, you want to be behind the wheel for your team, but I understand the importance of being fully ready before returning. As I continue to work toward getting back to 100%, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Collins and his UPMC staff. I also want to thank Jeff Meendering, the No. 18 team and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing for their unwavering support this season,” Sawalich said.
Sawalich missed the Oct. 25 race at Martinsville Speedway due to concussion-like symptoms experienced after a crash in the Oct. 18 race at Talladega Superspeedway. Bonsignore filled in for Sawalich at Martinsville and finished 10th after running up front all night.
Phoenix will be Bonsignore’s ninth Xfinity start with Joe Gibbs Racing this season. While he has an average finish of 24.1, he has been improving – with two finishes in the top 12 in his last three starts.
Bonsignore comes to JGR by way of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He has won four of the last eight Modified championships and finished second in the 2019 points standings, fourth in 2022, second in 2023 and second in 2025.
On the all-time Modified wins list, Justin Bonsignore (47 wins) ranks second to Mike Stefanik (74 wins). His four championships also puts him fourth on the all-time championships list.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com