Sawalich, Perez Have Similar, but Different Agendas at Milwaukee Mile
Photo by Bobby Pastelak/ARCA Racing
William Sawalich and Andres Perez enter this weekend’s Sprecher 150 ARCA Menards Series race at the Milwaukee Mile with similar, but different agendas.
One is hunting trophies and a second ARCA Menards East Series title before heading to a full-time NASCAR ride next season. The other is looking to extend his lead in the ARCA Menards Series championship.
What they’re both looking to do is win on Sunday.
Driving the No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Sawalich is the defending Sprecher 150 winner at The Mile, looking to repeat his dominating performance from last season when he lead 141 laps of the 150-lap race. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota driver is the hottest driver in the series, having won six races, including the last three.
While not in the fight for the national series championship due to not running the full schedule because of his age, it’s the 17-year-old Sawalich’s intention to continue that hot streak come Sunday’s race.
“Yeah, hopefully we have a good, great race for it. The plan is to lead almost every lap, every time. We almost did last year. We just kind of struggled on restarts and firing off, but what I wanted to be was really good. Just kind of fought a little bit of side bite off the corner, so just loose all around and come back better for that, and kind of prepared that we know where it's going to swing. So that's what we've been looking forward to coming up.”
Photo by Adam Glanzman/ARCA Racing
Consistency has been the key to Perez’s season thus far. Although he’s yet to win a race. The 19-year-old Mexico City, Mexico native leads the ARCA Menards Series standings with six races remaining on the schedule. Perez, who drives the No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet, hopes to change that this weekend.
“I think our streak and momentum has been super good, just not quite good enough to get the win we've been talking about so many times, you know, like three runner ups, I think. But, yeah, I think the speed is getting there. We're getting there. We just gotta wait till everything comes together. We gotta execute a race the best we can, and wait for it to fall our way. And I know at some point, after running upfront, most of the races, it's just going to happen. I think Milwaukee is a good track. I think our short track stuff is getting way better, so these tracks should suit us pretty good, and hopefully have a shot at that tomorrow.”
Perez has a comfortable lead over his Drive for Diversity Rev Racing teammate Lavar Scott in the standings. While he doesn’t plan to change his approach with six races remaining in the season, getting a win is certainly on his mind.
“Well, I think the whole year has been points, and it's important to be consistent and have smart races. So we always have that on our mind in the races, but it's been a couple races now that I think the win is the main thing right now, we're trying to get that, and it's going to change our season so much so, yeah, we're always racing, knowing that we're racing for the points, but at this very moment, if I got to be a little bit more aggressive, I think, with the points gap that I have, and a point where at the season, we can start being more aggressive in terms of just, yeah, try to take that away, more than anything.”
Photo by Bobby Pastelak/ARCA Racing
Although Sawalich will be doing double duty this weekend, racing in the ARCA car as well as NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series, the reigning ARCA Menards East Series champion isn’t worried about balancing his time between the two.
“Luckily, the practice and qualifying are separated, so I don't have to worry too much about going back and forth, but I just like ARCA first. I feel like that's kind of the, I don't want to say easier car to drive, but more familiar. And then I focus on the truck right after. And when I jump in for truck practice, I'll be ready and fresh from the ARCA car. And then both races. It'll kind of be weird, not practicing and qualifying beforehand. I did it last year, so shouldn’t be too hard or too challenging.”
Fastest in ARCA practice, Sawalich won his eighth General Tire Pole Award in qualifying with a lap of :29.002, 125.995 miles-per-hour. Perez will start from the outside of row two when the Sprecher 150 takes the green flag just after noon on Sunday.
Sawalich will start 6th in the LIUNA! 175 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race that follows later in the afternoon.