Anyone who watched the ARCA race at Elko Speedway knows how overwhelming it was. After slipping mid-race, trailing William Sawalich reclaimed the lead. However, his view of the checkered flag was unexpected to say the least. Three cars crossed the finish line almost at the same time, which isn’t something you see very often.
But you have to feel bad for LaVar Scott, who almost got his first career win. The Elko race was a real thriller, and the fans definitely enjoyed it to the fullest.
The 3-wide finish at the ARCA race
Although the race was actually a local hero favorite, the win wasn’t easy for Sawalich. After leading for most of the race, he made contact with Michael Maples with 75 laps remaining and spun. The collision dropped Joe Gibbs’ No. 18 car to eighth place, but he managed to pull away from the front pack to win. He crossed the checkered flag by just a hundredth of a second. Victories that close are rare, and this one owes its success to what happened next. With four laps to go, Sawalich was behind Scott.
The next lap he passed the #6 on the inside and they were side-by-side. Sawalich eventually took the lead. But Scott wasn’t about to give up his chance at a career win. There he passed Sawalich again on the inside. This aggressive maneuver led to some light contact between the two. In the final corner, the two went wide together. Chris Wright, looking to improve, took the inside line. The race ended in a three-way final. In the end, Sawalich won, followed by Scott and then Wright.
The local hero was very emotional after his win. He drove a Legends car on the same track four years ago and now races in ARCA. After the race, he said: “It really shows our dedication and teamwork in this race, and of course in front of the home crowd, so it’s great.” This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done. Having his family and friends in the stands cheering him on made the win even more special for him.” While there is celebration, there will no doubt be disappointment for the Scott team after coming so close to victory only to fall short.
Lavar Scott misses out on first career win
This race, his first time leading 100 laps, was the best of his career. It wasn’t the first time this season that he nearly won. The same thing happened a while ago at the Berlin ARCA 400, with Scott finishing second and Sawalich seeing the checkered flag. After finishing third in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series Championship, the youngster is looking for more challenges.
This could be the year for the number 6 Rev Racing team. LaValle has shown incredible consistency in the 2024 season and his win is just around the corner. Currently sitting second in the points table, second place looks set to be his nemesis. Despite a winless season, he has managed six top-five finishes in 12 races, with three of those coming in the last five. With eight top-10s this year, we look forward to the 20-year-old continuing this form and scoring his first ARCA victory.
