The ARCA Menards Series kicks off the race weekend at Watkins Glen International on Friday (Sept. 13), and with 29 drivers entered, it’s anyone’s race, right?
Well, yes and no.
No, it could be a two-man show featuring William Sawalich and Connor Zilisch. They are the top two in victories and laps led this year, and they enter as the favorites.
Zilisch nearly won at The Glen last year in his series debut, until 2023 champion Jesse Love took the lead in the final corners en route to a 0.195-second victory over Zilisch.
Zilisch also scored the pole in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at fellow road course Circuit of the Americas. He will be stout on Friday. Furthermore, he’s making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut Saturday at the same track. Eyes will certainly be on him.
Sawalich finished fourth in the ’23 ARCA race at The Glen. Since then, he’s improved his road-course racing skills. He won at Portland International Raceway in the ARCA Menards Series West and the other road course in the national division this year at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
“Our road course program this year has been really strong,” Sawalich said in a release. “Last year we had good speed at Watkins Glen, just needed to work on some little things. I’ve been doing some work with Jack Hawksworth on the simulator to get ready for the road courses, so I feel confident going into this weekend.”
Speaking of that Mid-Ohio race, it was Connor Mosack who crossed the finish line first. Yet series officials ruled he jumped the previous restart, so he therefore was penalized, handing the win to Sawalich.
Mosack will also be in the field at Watkins Glen, driving the No. 23 for Sigma Performance Services. The young organization has significantly improved in its first full-time West season, scoring the win at Sonoma Raceway with Sam Mayer behind the wheel.
Now the team has Mosack, and its odds of winning are just as high. Mosack has three starts in his racing career at Watkins Glen, earning a fifth-place result in the 2023 Xfinity Series race while driving for Sam Hunt Racing.
“We’re thrilled to have Connor join our team for this race,” team owner Joe Farre said in a release. “His performance on the track speaks for itself, and we’re confident that he’ll excel at The Glen.”
Mosack has already been to victory lane once this year in ARCA competition at the first Kansas Speedway event. If he leaves Watkins Glen with…
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