The recent incident occurred at WWT Raceway, where NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regulars Corey Day and William Sawalich collided.
The drivers have a history of confrontations at COTA, Daytona, and most recently at Darlington, where Day sent Sawalich spinning.
With fewer than 50 laps remaining in the second stage of the 2026 Chase, Day attempted to pass Sawalich for fifth position. As they entered the backstretch, Sawalich sharply turned his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota across the track, making contact with Day; the impact caused Day’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to lose control and spin into the nose of Justin Allgaier.
Day crashed into the inside wall, ending his race and finishing 33rd.
Day responded, stating he was not the one who moved into Sawalich and that Allgaier’s car was the one pushing him. He added that Allgaier’s radio indicated he had been shoved forward by Taylor Gray.
Later, outside the infield medical center, Day explained to Matt Weaver that he positioned himself beside Sawalich, attempted to move to the bottom lane, but Allgaier’s car pushed him upward, leaving him with no space to maneuver. He indicated he preferred not to discuss the incident further.
When questioned about whether NASCAR should penalize Sawalich, Day declined to speculate.
Replay footage indicated that Day first made contact with Sawalich’s door on his own, then was struck again after contact from behind.
During a media scrum, a reporter asked Day whether he had received a warning after spinning Sawalich at Darlington. He replied that he apparently had not and preferred not to comment further.
Day now trails the championship leader by 69 points with seven races remaining in the 2026 season.
Day expressed disappointment, noting that winning three races would be necessary to revive his title chances, and lamented the unfortunate conclusion despite having a strong car and a solid points day.
Allgaier also expressed dissatisfaction, finishing 13th after repairs to his right‑front fender, which cost him the championship lead to Sheldon Creed by three points.
Sawalich chose not to comment on the incident, offering only brief remarks about his race performance and his outlook for the upcoming Bristol event, and remained silent when approached by the broader press corps.
NASCAR views intentional wrecking unfavorably, though penalties are typically reserved for deliberate moves such as right‑hooks or explicit statements of intent. Since Sawalich is not competing in the Chase, his championship standing offers limited consequences.
A factor that could mitigate Sawalich’s responsibility is that Day’s heavy contact resulted from Allgaier’s car being positioned directly ahead, causing Day to spin into the inside after contact rather than solely due to the initial door contact.
