MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – APRIL 5: Sheldon Creed, driver of the #18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation … (+)
Sheldon Creed is moving again. For the third time in the last four seasons, Creed is moving to a new team and a new manufacturer from 2025.
The Haas Factory Team, a phoenix from the remnants of the soon-to-be-shuttered Stewart-Haas Racing, announced Saturday that Creed will join Sam Mayer as a driver for their full-time Xfinity operation starting next season.
Creed is a California native with a background as diverse as working on racing video games, but his path to NASCAR was anything but straightforward. He has raced everything from BMX bikes to Stadium Super Trucks and eventually made it to the NASCAR ranks, making his Truck Series debut in 2016 and hitting it big in 2019. Five wins and a championship in 2020 set the stage for what seemed like an inevitable move up to the Xfinity Series.
But as any good racer knows, the track is not always flat, and this climb seems to have stalled.
Creed’s jump to Xfinity in 2022 with Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet was more of a stumble than a sprint. Although he made the playoffs and posted a seventh-place finish in 2023, the partnership fizzled out faster than week-old milk. By the end of the season, Creed and RCR were over, leading him to Joe Gibbs Racing and a fresh start with Toyota.
But 2024 was not the breakthrough year Creed had hoped for. Although he has ten second-place finishes, he is still winless – a statistic that is as good as stagnation in NASCAR. And so the carousel is turning again, Creed has now committed to Haas and is moving to Ford. The Haas Factory Team may be a new name, but it is hardly new to winning, as last season it led Cole Custer to the Xfinity title. With Custer’s promotion to the Cup Series, Creed sees a clear path.
“I saw what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship, and when I talked to him about building the organization, everything he said resonated with me,” Creed said. “I feel like the Haas Factory Team is a place where I can be successful and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.”
Hampton, GA – July 8: Sheldon Creed (#2 Richard Childress Racing Whelen Chevrolet) and team owner … (+)
Sam Mayer has six Xfinity wins in a Chevrolet with JR Motorsports, including two this season that earn him a spot in the Xfinity playoff field. Unlike Creed, JR Motorsports is the only team he has ever driven for full-time in the Xfinity Series.
For Sam Mayer, who has six Xfinity wins with JR Motorsports – including two this season – the move to Haas isn’t just a team change; it’s a stepping stone.
“The Xfinity Series is a really great place to learn and grow and prepare for the NASCAR Cup Series,” Mayer said. “The Cup is my ultimate goal, and to really push myself to become the type of driver that can succeed in Cup, I had to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself and refine my racing skills so that when the Cup moment comes, I’ll be ready. The Haas team has prepared Cole Custer for his moment, and it’s a place that will help me and Sheldon be ready for our moments.”
Both drivers have secured multi-year deals with the team. That stability is especially welcome for Creed, who is no doubt yearning to find a place where he can finally pack his bags and stay for a while. For Mayer, it’s a move that could pave the way to his ultimate goal – the NASCAR Cup Series.
Despite the renaming, the Haas Xfinity program remains the most complete remnant of the once mighty Stewart-Haas Racing.
“We have developed a strong and consistent Xfinity Series program at Stewart-Haas that wins races and championships. In 2025, that program will run as the Haas Factory Team. The name changes, but our commitment to winning remains the same,” said Joe Custer, President of the Haas Factory Team.
“Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer have won championships on their way to the Xfinity Series and both are hungry to win races and compete for an Xfinity Series title. They bring a lot of experience and the same will to win. Having them as part of the Haas Factory Team will allow us to compete at a high level and collect trophies.”
So as Creed prepares for another season with a new team, one thing is clear: his journey through NASCAR continues and who knows – maybe this time he will finally find the formula for success.
