Sheldon Creed continues his determined Sheldon Creed chase for first Xfinity win as the NASCAR Xfinity Series season nears its playoff cutoff, holding onto his postseason hopes while racing for Haas Factory Team. The former Truck Series champion, now in his fourth full-time Xfinity season, faces mounting pressure at a pivotal point in his career, hoping that a breakthrough victory finally arrives to secure his playoff position and silence his doubters.
Creed’s Multi-Team Journey in the Xfinity Series
Sheldon Creed has been on a persistent quest for his inaugural Xfinity victory, having competed with three leading organizations. Beginning his rookie campaign with Richard Childress Racing, Creed switched to Joe Gibbs Racing and now represents Haas Factory Team, piloting their No. 00 Ford Mustang. Across each tenure, he has displayed impressive speed, yet that elusive first win remains just out of reach, even after experiencing every manufacturer in the series. While success has come close numerous times, Creed continues to seek a defining moment that will move his career forward.
Comparing Teams: Exploring Differences and Opportunities
Wyatt Watson from Frontstretch recently spoke with Creed during the weekend at Iowa Speedway, seeking insight into what distinguishes Haas Factory Team from his previous teams. Creed addressed the contrasts, particularly focusing on manufacturers’ unique car characteristics and engines:
“They have their differences in the car, obviously three different manufacturers and engines. They all kind of have the things that they like and the ways that they drive different. They all have their positives.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
These differences bring both challenges and excitement for Creed, as he uses each opportunity to adapt, improve, and push for that long-awaited first checkered flag in the Xfinity Series.
Near Misses and the Weight of Expectations
During their discussion, Watson noted Creed’s unusual record of being runner-up so many times without a win—a pattern frequently highlighted by those observing his Xfinity career. Creed was candid about how finally ending that winless streak would affect him:
“Yeah, I‘ve been extremely close way too many times. One, it would be a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, finally being able to go to victory lane, and just excitement. It’s hard to go 3.5 years without winning. It’s tough mentally at times, but I’m sure we’ll do a good job celebrating.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
The persistence required to keep fighting after years of close calls illustrates Creed’s resilience, though the emotional toll is clear. That maiden win would not only reward his perseverance but also provide vital momentum for Creed and his Haas Factory Team crew as the playoffs approach.
On-Track Drama and Learning from Setbacks
Creed’s journey recently included an eventful race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he witnessed firsthand an incident involving former teammate Austin Hill and Aric Almirola. Reflecting on the fallout and how it impacted his own race, Creed commented:
“I don’t know. It’s tough to read it. Obviously, I wish I was five car lengths behind them and didn’t get involved in it because it kind of ruined our day. I wasn’t driving, so hard to say exactly. Hopefully, everyone can move on from here and have a good rest of the season.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
Despite crossing the finish line, Creed’s results fell short of expectations. The constant risk of getting caught in others’ accidents is one of the pressures every Xfinity driver faces, especially with playoff implications looming large over every race.
Playoff Picture: The Battle for Safety in Points
Creed addressed his standing in the playoff points battle and the uncertainty that comes with unpredictable race results and potential new winners shaking up the playoff grid. He described the ups and downs of his season, including a run of six DNFs—now seven after Watkins Glen—and his proximity to the cutoff line:
“You could be in a worse spot. My crew chief (Johnathan Toney) and I were actually laughing the other day. We have six DNFs this year (now seven after Watkins Glen) just being caught up in crashes or getting hit and ruining our day, and to still be where we’re at, within 20 points of being fifth or sixth in points. When we are solid, we do score solid points days, but I would love to be 80-100 plus [ahead] come Daytona, which is going to make these next two weeks really important to do that.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
He spoke candidly about the volatility of the Xfinity field, with several drivers and teams—such as Taylor Gray in the No. 54, William Sawalich in the No. 18, and Christian Eckes in the No. 16—capable of pulling off unexpected victories. Such results could dramatically reshape the playoff line, making every points opportunity crucial for Creed.
“You just never know who’s going to win. The No. 54 [Taylor Gray] and No. 18 [William Sawalich], they’re capable of bringing really fast racecars and popping off a win. I think there’s other guys like the No. 16 [Christian Eckes] and a couple guys outside right now that could pop off a win, and that would put us in a tighter situation. Just (need) to keep stacking points and then, hopefully, get to Daytona with a comfortable gap, because you just never know if you’re going to get crashed or what’s going to happen and to still be safe. That’s the goal, just to stack points.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
As Daytona approaches, Creed’s game plan focuses on maximizing points and, ideally, securing a victory to avoid last-minute playoff threats. A win would automatically lock him in and allow the team to focus on building confidence and momentum.
“I’d love to win this weekend or next to not even have to worry about it. We’d love to lock ourselves a couple of races early if everything goes right and, more importantly, just build some confidence for the team, get some momentum going before the playoffs and show that we can be a team that can have a strong run through.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
Navigating the Pressure: Making the Jump to Cup
Every year spent winless in the Xfinity Series weighs on Creed, especially as he evaluates his place among up-and-coming talent. He reflected openly on the challenge, noting how past success in the Truck Series contrasts starkly with his Xfinity journey so far:
“Oh yeah, tons. Coming out of Trucks, I had a shot at winning every week. To go to Xfinity and kind of struggle at first, I feel like I’ve gotten better every year. You learn every weekend and get a little bit better. To not win has, I feel like, taken my stock from being in the conversation for a Cup car to now, there’s kids in front of me on that list. That part’s frustrating, and you have to win at this level. You have to win to want to move on. That’s always in the back of my head.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
The ambition to ascend into the Cup Series is a powerful motivator, but as Creed sees others leapfrog him in opportunity, the urgency to break through in Xfinity becomes even more pronounced. He continues to use each race as a learning experience to refine his skills, hoping persistent effort translates into the results needed to climb the racing ladder.
Beyond NASCAR: Creed’s Love for Dirt and Alternative Racing
In addition to his stock car pursuits, Creed remains passionate about other forms of motorsport, frequently engaging with dirt racing and recalling fond memories of Stadium Super Trucks and the Lucas Oil Off Road Series. He shared how his interest has shifted over time but that his enthusiasm for grassroots racing remains strong:
“Man, that’s tough. I loved stadium trucks. Those were always a ton of fun. Honestly, when I raced Lucas Oil Off Road (Racing Series) short course, those are the most fun thing to drive and race. It’s just unfortunate. It’s gone through a few different owners once Lucas backed out …”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
Although time constraints from a packed NASCAR schedule often limit his participation elsewhere, Creed finds opportunities when he can, recently racing micro sprints at Millbridge. His dedication to all things dirt is unwavering, and he continues to find joy and stress relief through alternative racing experiences.
“I would say nowadays it’s micro racing. I love sprint cars. I always watch Flo and Dirtvision, High Limit stuff or World of Outlaws. We’re actually going to go to Knoxville tonight and go watch [Brett] Moffitt race. Excited to go watch some sprint car racing live, but micro racing is super fun. It’s affordable. It’s easy. We race on Wednesday nights at Millbridge, which I actually just raced last week for the first time in six months. Would love to be able to do it more. It’s just with our schedules, it’s kind of difficult at times, but anything dirt track racing in general I love, but yeah, micros for me right now is probably my favorite outside of NASCAR.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
Connecting with Fans: Vlogging Life Away from the Track
Creed, together with his friend Briar, has also embraced vlogging to provide a behind-the-scenes look at a driver’s life outside the racetrack. Sharing these moments has not only allowed him to connect with fans but also offers a needed escape from racing’s pressures:
“At first, my buddy Briar, he was just getting into it. So, we’ve just kind of evolved together. I remember our first couple of videos, it’s like awkward, and he was learning how to edit and stuff. I feel like we’ve gotten way more fluent. We don’t get a ton of views, maybe anywhere from 800 to 5,000 just depending on the video.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
Even with a modest audience, Creed continues to document his off-track adventures, enjoying the process and sharing lesser-seen aspects of a racer’s life. He values the chance to demystify what drivers do when not competing on NASCAR weekends and highlights the sense of relief and creativity these projects bring:
“Yeah, it’s hard to compete on YouTube. There’s just so many things to watch for people. It’s fun. We did a video from Millbridge last week. We tied it to our Indy video. Things like that are fun just to show people behind the scenes stuff. I think from the outside, it looks like a lot of drivers don’t do anything outside of racing. So, it’s fun to show that, and I work on my own car, keep it at my house and do pretty much everything on my own. It gets my head off of this stuff, and I can focus on that for a day. It’s honestly a stress reliever. Hopefully, [we’ll] do some more outside-the-box stuff outside of racing, hopefully some stuff with some Ford vehicles here soon.”
—Sheldon Creed, Driver
The Final Stretch: Playoff Hopes and What Lies Ahead
With only three races remaining before the playoffs, Creed sits 77 points above the Xfinity Series’ playoff cut line going into the critical Daytona event on August 22. His teammate Sam Mayer has already punched Haas Factory Team‘s ticket to the postseason by winning at Iowa, adding urgency for Creed and his crew to secure their own spot, preferably through a landmark victory.
The fierce Xfinity competition, presence of emerging young drivers like William Sawalich and Christian Eckes, and unpredictability of superspeedway racing at Daytona mean Creed must remain both aggressive and consistent. The stakes are clear: clinching his first win could not only lock up his playoff berth, but also restore momentum and optimism for himself and his team in the fight for a deep postseason run.
For Sheldon Creed, this moment represents both a challenge and an opportunity. A long-awaited win would validate years of persistence and provide the confidence boost needed as the Xfinity Series season hits its most decisive phase. As the chase for that first victory intensifies, fans and fellow competitors alike will be watching closely to see whether Creed can break through, changing the narrative of his career and invigorating his playoff journey with Haas Factory Team.
