“It’s like you’re almost drowning”: Josh Williams gets real on exiting the Las Vegas Xfinity race due to his illness' side effects

Josh Williams opened up about the physical toll that forced him to exit the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Kaulig Racing driver described his struggle with illness during the race, comparing the feeling to "almost drowning."

The news broke through a post from Zach Sturniolo on X, a content manager for NASCAR, who shared Williams' comments after the race. Josh Williams fought through illness for two races before. He managed to secure 15th at Circuit of the Americas and 12th at Phoenix Raceway.

During the first stage of the LiUNA at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Josh Williams reported severe breathing difficulties. He made it to the stage break but had to step out of the car after Lap 46. Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing’s Cup Series driver, took over the No. 11 Chevrolet for the remainder of the race. Dillon entered in 37th place and eventually brought the car home in 29th.

In the tweet shared by Sturniolo, Williams gave a statement about his illness and unfortunate exit from the race. As the caption read,

“On #NASCAR.com: @Josh6williams had to exit the Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas due to lingering effects from an illness. “I’ve never felt like this my entire life. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever felt before. It’s like you’re you’re almost drowning.””

Even though a medical stretcher was brought out for him, Josh Williams chose to skip the infield care center. He climbed onto the pit box to watch the rest of the race with his team. While frustrated, he admitted that getting out of the car was the safest call.

“That part sucks, right? But I’m still standing here talking to you. I’m not passed out, so that’s a good thing,” Williams added.

Josh Williams still earned points because he started the race, adding eight to his season tally. He later also explained to NASCAR.com that he struggled to breathe during the race, saying it became impossible to catch his breath, making it unsafe to continue. He also mentioned that doctors found fluid in his lungs, which worsened his breathing problem.

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“I’m a big boy, Bob” — Josh Williams reflects on Daytona crash

Just a month earlier, Josh Williams faced a different challenge at the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway. He got caught in a multi-car wreck on the final lap, ending his race in 20th place.

In a post-race interview with NASCAR analyst Bob Pockrass, Williams reflected on the crash with a bit of humor. He shared,

“It definitely was brutal, but I'm okay. I'm a big boy, Bob,”

Williams, who made his Xfinity Series debut in 2016 with Jimmy Means Racing, has been driving full-time for Kaulig Racing for the past two seasons, piloting the No. 11 Chevrolet alongside teammates Christian Eckes and Daniel Dye.

Talking about his run at Daytona, Williams described the chaotic finish. In his own words,

“It’s typical Daytona, just riding along, trying to get a good finish. Ran the race the way that I want to run the race and put ourselves in position to have a good finish and just ride around, get right reared. There’s nothing you can do about it. So part of it, go to Atlanta, and try it again.”

After running the Daytona, Josh Williams raced in the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. There, he ended the race with a strong eighth-place finish.