After years of patience and persistence, Sheldon Creed achieved his first NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at EchoPark Speedway on February 21, finally ending a four-year streak of close finishes without a win. The breakthrough came in his 138th race with a dramatic last-lap pass, marking his return to the winner’s circle in one of NASCAR’s top national touring series since his Craftsman Truck Series triumph at Darlington in 2021. This Sheldon Creed O’Reilly Series win has powered him to third in the 2026 season standings as he eyes a place in the postseason Chase and pursues his first series title.
Relief and Excitement Mark Creed’s Emotional Victory
Reflecting on the moment of victory, Creed described an overwhelming sense of disbelief and joy as he surged into the lead following a tangle between Austin Hill and Ross Chastain on the final lap. The relief was immediate, but so was the pressure as he checked the proximity of his competitors before officially securing the win.
“I mean, at first, I didn’t probably believe it, that the seas parted for me like they did. And then my next worry was how close were they behind me. I didn’t know that the No. 99 (Parker Retzlaff) was as close as he was, and then off of (turn) 4, kind of seeing that nobody had a run, I just started screaming on the radio. Just a lot of joy and excitement.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
The victory celebration captured how much the win meant to Creed, both personally and professionally. He embraced the festival-like media attention at the track before returning home, where family, friends, and crew continued the festivities into the weekend. The toll of such intense celebration became evident only when Monday’s tasks beckoned him back to work.
“It was cool to do all the media stuff. It’s been a while, right? So to experience it after winning is awesome. And then I had a few beers at the track, and then I got home and my wife already had like — there’s probably 15 to 20 people at my house and a lot of my guys came and drank a bunch of beers on Saturday night and then fired it back up again Sunday. I was definitely feeling it on Monday when it was time to go back to work.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
Persistence Pays Off as Creed Breaks Through
For Creed, reaching victory lane was never about the manner of the finish—clean or chaotic—but about capitalizing on every opportunity after a string of near-misses in all types of circumstances. With his win coming at a challenging venue he’s grown to respect, Creed highlighted how much Atlanta’s evolution as a track factored into his breakthrough.
“I didn’t know, honestly. I’ve been close so many times in so many different scenarios. Lost them a lot of different ways, so yeah, people were like asking like, ‘oh, where do you want to win? Where do you think you’ll be?’ And I just got to the point where I was like, I don’t care where it is or when it is. I just want it to be like that next week, just keep having opportunities. And to have it so early in the season and at a place that I didn’t love (Atlanta) — it’s grown on me a lot in the last couple of years just because handling is starting to become a thing again there.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
Creed acknowledged Atlanta’s increasingly technical setup requirements, likening it to the demands of iconic superspeedways but noting the vital role of car handling at the modern iteration of the track. He speculated that handling may become a priority at similar venues like Talladega and Daytona in the future, credentials that could serve him well in championship contention.
Camaraderie and Good-Natured Ribbing Follow Emotional Win
The significance of Creed’s win was echoed by his fellow drivers and the passionate crowd in victory lane. Austin Hill, who played a key role in the final-lap drama, offered personal congratulations as the fans’ cheers underscored how Creed’s journey has resonated across the NASCAR community. The camaraderie continued with teammate Sam Mayer’s exuberant celebration, though not without a mishap on the frontstretch.
“Yeah, I feel like a lot of people were kind of on the ride with me, at least people that didn’t not like me or like me. To see everyone stick around and to hear them going crazy was awesome, and having Austin come to victory lane — obviously we had our run-ins but we we’re still really good friends away from the track.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
Creed couldn’t help but find humor in Mayer’s misfortune, attributing the front splitter’s destruction to an innocent mistake. The lighthearted reaction from the team demonstrated the close-knit, supportive atmosphere surrounding the win.
“Obviously when I had first seen it, I laughed. And I mean, I guess it’s his fault, right, because he drove through the grass, but that’s not what his intentions were. When you’re going that slow, you don’t really think about the front digging in like it did. So yeah, just a dumb mistake that’s really not; he didn’t know it was going to do that, so just kind of innocent. But yeah, it’s still funny.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
A New Dynamic with Teammate Sam Mayer at Haas Factory Team
This season marks Creed’s second with Haas Factory Team, where he and Sam Mayer continue to build an effective partnership despite contrasting backgrounds. Their camaraderie and collaboration have carried over into race weekends, with both drivers leaning on each other for support and sharing strategies.
“Sam’s been great. Obviously, we’re very different. I’m like five years older than him and married with kids and he’s not, so very different in our lives. But we get along really well. We go eat on race weekends a lot together and just talk about our cars and strategy and how we can help each other. And he’s obviously super talented, so yeah, he helps me a lot, and I feel like, hopefully, some of my info helps him. And yeah, we get along really good.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
Boost in Confidence and Team Morale for 2026 Campaign
With the elusive first win now secured, Creed has felt a noticeable lift in pressure and a resurgence of self-confidence. He hopes the momentum will propel both him and his team into more frequent contention for wins as they target a successful season and a serious championship challenge.
“Yeah, I feel 20 pounds lighter on my feet now. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to win, and I just felt pressure from everyone. So yeah, to finally win is awesome. To do it early on in the season, hopefully it just opens the gates up for us, and now I can believe in myself again, that I can win. And my team I feel like believed it the whole time, but now I feel like we’re all elevated and just more confident going every week. Hopefully we can just put together a lot of good races this year.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
The week following his win has been busy yet rewarding, as Creed resumes working with performance coach Josh Wise under the Chevrolet banner. With each interaction, the team continues to gain valuable insights to optimize their performance for the rest of the season.
“I don’t know if it was more relaxing because it was kind of a busy week in a good way. Being able to work with Josh Wise again now that we’re back with Chevrolet has been awesome. He’s just a great help, and to be able to see things that he sees and talk through things with him and our group that all works together, just a lot of good stuff comes from him.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
Looking Ahead: Opportunities, Challenges, and Aspirations Beyond 2026
On the topic of his future with Haas and the potential to move up to NASCAR’s premier Cup Series, Creed remains grounded but optimistic. He’s aware that consistent results and more victories in the O’Reilly Series will be crucial to unlocking future opportunities.
“Yeah, pretty early, but there is definitely that opportunity to come back. If I’m going to be (O’Reilly) racing again, 100% I want to be here with this group. If I have the opportunity to go Cup racing — I don’t know, I think I need to win a few more times this year for that to be an option. But yeah, if I’m going to be (O’Reilly) racing again, I want to be here.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
The recent win already feels like a key shift for Creed’s racing career, reopening doors that had seemed closed following his long drought since his last victory at Truck level. Continued performance and perseverance are, in his view, the surest ways to attract further interest at the highest level.
“I felt like my door was kind of shutting after obviously winning in Trucks and being good and then not winning for four years. That door was probably shut, and maybe I have it cracked back open now and may be at the bottom of the list, and just to be on the list is cool. Like I said, just need to win some more races this year and be consistent and have a shot at the championship, and yeah, we’ll see.”
— Sheldon Creed, Driver
The Road to the Championship Remains Wide Open
Sheldon Creed’s long-awaited O’Reilly Series victory resonates across NASCAR, symbolizing perseverance and determination while rejuvenating his championship ambitions. The next chapters of the 2026 season will test his resilience and skill, as Creed and the Haas Factory Team aim to turn fresh confidence into a campaign defined by sustained excellence, pushing for playoff success and perhaps more memorable celebrations to come.
