How Sheldon Creed’s ‘Frustration’ Made Him an Ideal Candidate for Haas Factory Team’s NASCAR Xfinity Effort

Though the list could be extensive, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to claim that Sheldon Creed ranks among the luckless drivers in NASCAR. Since starting his full-time Xfinity stint in 2022, Creed has encountered a slew of near victories, securing second-place or top-5 finishes in numerous races without managing to win any races.

Now in his fourth Xfinity Series year, Creed has raced for three different teams: Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing last year, and, as of 2025, the Haas Factory Team. This season, he kicked off with a top-5 finish, placing third at Daytona.

Last year, Creed’s 23 top-10 finishes tied him for the series lead with Cole Custer, and his 15 top-5s cemented his expectations of a long-term arrangement with JGR. However, as the season unfolded and he observed the dynamics affecting other drivers, Creed realized the partnership might not be sustainable due to financial constraints and the team’s needs. The realization led him to fruitful discussions with Gene Haas, resulting in a new opportunity.

With the 2023 series champion Cole Custer ascending to the Cup Series with Haas Factory Team and Riley Herbst transitioning to an opportunity with 23XI Racing, Creed found a place in their Xfinity team.

The transition from Stewart-Haas Racing to Haas Factory Team provided Joe Custer, the team’s president, with a timely chance to secure two seasoned drivers from the Xfinity circuit- Creed and Sam Mayer.

Reflecting on his decision to bring Sheldon Creed on board, Joe Custer remarked, “I think there’s an edge about him. He’s a laid-back guy, but make no mistake, it gnaws at him [that Creed has yet to win], and that’s what I look for in a driver. Not somebody that is just out there riding, but somebody that is frustrated in a good way. We need to put him in a situation where he has the confidence that the car is there.”

Creed currently holds the distinction of achieving 13 runner-up finishes before winning his first race — a record he’s hardly proud of. He is acutely aware of the necessity to win.

Impressively, in the last 20 races of last year’s Xfinity stint, he finished outside the top 10 only four times, secured a spot in the top 10 four times, and landed in the top 5 twelve times.

While Creed is pleased with his team’s recent consistency, he confessed he is “more than ready” to step into the winner’s circle and secure that evasive first victory.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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