William Sawalich earned the pole position for the ARCA Menards Series West race at Portland International Raceway on Friday, August 29, setting himself up for a strong performance before his upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series debut. Earlier the same day, Sawalich posted the fastest time in the practice session, confirming his competitive pace at the road course.
This pole award marks Sawalich’s second of the 2025 West series season and the sixth in his career. Notably, he also secured the pole at Sonoma Raceway earlier this year, where he went on to claim an overtime victory.
Starting Lineup Highlights and Debuts
Thomas Annunziata will start alongside Sawalich in second place; he previously earned a win at Lime Rock Park in the ARCA Menards Series this year. Alon Day will start third, while Fernando Navarette, making his series debut with Central Coast Racing, will line up fourth. Caleb Shrader will begin the race in fifth position.
Rounding out the top ten starters are Tanner Reif in sixth, Kyle Keller seventh, veteran Greg Biffle eighth, Robbie Kennealy ninth, and Eric Johnson Jr. securing the tenth spot. Trevor Huddleston, the series points leader, did not complete a qualifying lap and will start 18th. Alongside Huddleston, Christian Eckes, Bobby Hillis Jr., and Dale Quarterley also did not post qualifying laps and will start mid-pack.
All 18 drivers are set to compete in the 57-lap race scheduled for Friday evening.
Race Details and Coverage
The ARCA West race at Portland is slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET on August 29, with live streaming available through FloRacing. Mark Kristl, known for his role as ARCA Menards Series editor at Frontstretch and his long-standing involvement in NASCAR coverage since 2019, will be part of the commentary team.
Sawalich’s pole position at Portland not only demonstrates his continued development as a young driver but also provides momentum ahead of his debut in the higher-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series. His performance this weekend could foreshadow future success as he advances in stock car racing.
