Sheldon Creed’s hopes for a strong finish at Texas Motor Speedway were dashed on Saturday afternoon, after a dramatic collision with Hendrick Motorsports rookie Corey Day led to an early exit, leaving Creed visibly frustrated and cutting his race short. The incident, which unfolded during the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300, saw Creed’s bid for a top-three result evaporate after contact forced his car into the wall, prompting one of several caution periods and marking his fourth DNF of the 2025 season.
The crash came as Creed, Day, and Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love fiercely battled at the front pack. Creed’s No. 00 car drifted slightly into Day’s lane before being hooked on the backstretch, sending Creed into the barriers and ending his race hopes. As Creed climbed out of his car, his frustration was clear, with pointed words for the Hendrick Motorsports driver transmitted over his in-car radio, reinforcing the level of disappointment felt after another missed opportunity.
Corey Day, a talented 19-year-old from Clovis, California, has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Hendrick Motorsports, bringing both promise and intensity to the field. Creed, running full-time for Haas Factory Racing, continues to press for his first career Xfinity Series victory—a feat that has eluded him 12 races into what has been a challenging season.
I just needed a little more space out there,
Creed explained after the race in a conversation with Frontstretch’s Stephen Stumpf. The tension of late-race battles, combined with split-second decisions, created an environment where competition turned into confrontation, leaving both drivers and teams grappling with the aftermath. Despite eight career wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Creed’s quest for a breakthrough Xfinity triumph remains a source of motivation and pressure.
Victorious on the day was NASCAR Cup Series regular Kyle Larson, who was substituting for Connor Zilisch and captured his second Xfinity Series win of the season. The circumstances highlighted the unpredictable nature of the series, as Zilisch, sidelined due to a back injury suffered at Talladega, received a waiver to remain playoff-eligible for JR Motorsports.
As Creed readies for the next Xfinity Series round at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Hendrick Motorsports evaluates its rookie’s approach, the Texas incident may influence how drivers negotiate space and strategy in upcoming events. The stakes remain high, pushing Hendrick Motorsports and its competitors to balance aggression and caution amid a season already fraught with intensity and uncertainty.
