William Sawalich claims third O’Reilly career pole at Bristol

William Sawalich backed up a race victory last weekend by notching his first NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series pole position of the 2026 season for the Suburban Propane 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 11.

The event’s starting lineup was determined through a single-car, two-lap qualifying format. In the format, all 38 competitors vying for 38 starting spots cycled around Bristol Motor Speedway twice while attempting to post the fastest lap. The competitor who posted the fastest single lap was awarded the pole position.

During the qualifying session, Sawalich, who was the 14th-fastest competitor during practice earlier on Saturday, utilized his two-lap qualifying to clock in a pole-winning lap at 122.733 mph in 15.634 seconds. The lap was enough for Sawalich to make a late surge and remain atop the leaderboard.

With the pole, Sawalich, driver of the No. 18 Soundgear Toyota Supra entry for Joe Gibbs Racing, notched his third O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career pole and his first at Bristol. The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has achieved at least a single pole in each of his three O’Reilly seasons (2024, 2025 & 2026). He also recorded the first O’Reilly pole position of the 2026 season for both Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.

Sawalich is coming off his first O’Reilly career victory at Rockingham Speedway. Having also claimed one of four Dash 4 Cash qualifying berths for Satuday night’s main event at Bristol, he will attempt to achieve his first $100,000 bonus from the program. In order to do so, he will have to be the highest-finishing Dash 4 Cash competitor over teammate Brandon Jones, veteran Justin Allgaier and rookie Rajah Caruth.

Sawalich will share the front row with Sheldon Creed, the latter of whom clocked in the second-fastest lap of Saturday’s qualifying session at 122.404 mph in 15.676 seconds. Kyle Larson, winner of the spring O’Reilly Bristol event a year ago and who is making his third series start of 2026, qualified in third place with a lap at 122.147 mph in 15.709 seconds. Brandon Jones, a Dash 4 Cash competitor, and Sam Mayer will start in the top five, respectively.

Taylor Gray (fastest in practice), Justin Allgaier, Carson Kvapil, Parker Retzlaff and Brennan Poole completed the top-10 starting grid, respectively. Allgaier, who starts in seventh place, is a third Dash 4 Cash competitor who is striving for the program’s bonus for an eighth time. He achieved the bonus twice this past season, one of which occurred in the spring Bristol event.

Notably, Rajah Caruth, the fourth Dash 4 Cash competitor, will start at the tail end of the field in 38th place after a mechanical issue prevented Caruth from posting a qualifying attempt.

With 38 competitors vying for 38 starting spots, all made the main event.

Bristol – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:

1. William Sawalich, 122.733 mph, 15.634 seconds
2. Sheldon Creed, 122.404 mph, 15.676 seconds
3. Kyle Larson, 122.147 mph, 15.709 seconds
4. Brandon Jones, 121.774 mph, 15.757 seconds
5. Sam Mayer, 121.682 mph, 15.769 seconds
6. Taylor Gray, 121.551 mph, 15.786 seconds
7. Justin Allgaier, 121.428 mph, 15.802 seconds
8. Carson Kvapil, 121.320 mph, 15.816 seconds
9. Parker Retzlaff, 121.221 mph, 15.829 seconds
10. Brennan Poole, 121.213 mph, 15.830 seconds
11. Ryan Sieg, 121.205 mph, 15.831 seconds
12. Jesse Love, 121.052 mph, 15.851 seconds
13. Jeb Burton, 121.045 mph, 15.852 seconds
14. Corey Day, 121.037 mph, 15.853 seconds
15. Connor Zilisch, 120.991 mph, 15.859 seconds
16. Sammy Smith, 120.953 mph, 15.864 seconds
17. Brent Crews, 120.740 mph, 15.892 seconds
18. Anthony Alfredo, 120.316 mph, 15.948 seconds
19. Jeremy Clements, 120.308 mph, 15.949 seconds
20. Kyle Sieg, 120.233 mph, 15.959 seconds
21. Dean Thompson, 120.045 mph, 15.984 seconds
22. Harrison Burton, 119.940 mph, 15.998 seconds
23. Austin Hill, 119.358 mph, 16.076 seconds
24. Logan Bearden, 119.276 mph, 16.087 seconds
25. Austin Green, 119.165 mph, 16.102 seconds
26. Lavar Scott, 119.003 mph, 16.124 seconds
27. Josh Bilicki, 118.892 mph, 16.139 seconds
28. Gray Gaulding, 118.870 mph, 16.142 seconds
29. Josh Williams, 118.804 mph, 16.151 seconds
30. Blaine Perkins, 118.789 mph, 16.153 seconds
31. Mason Maggio, 118.628 mph, 16.175 seconds
32. Patrick Staropoli, 117.841 mph, 16.283 seconds
33. Ryan Ellis, 117.819 mph, 16.286 seconds
34. JJ Yeley, 117.812 mph, 16.287 seconds
35. Garrett Smithley, 116.808 mph, 16.427 seconds
36. Joey Gase, 115.458 mph, 16.619 seconds
37. Blake Lothian, 113.364 mph, 16.926 seconds
38. Rajah Caruth, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds

The 2026 Suburban Propane 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled to occur on Saturday, April 11, and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, PRN Radio and SiriusXM.