Sheldon Creed settling in with Haas Factory Team: ‘I’m trying to enjoy it all’

Sheldon Creed bet on himself by moving to Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. He wanted to stay within the Toyota pipeline for years to come.

Though Creed didn’t win in 2024, he defined consistency in his one-year stint with JGR. His 23 top-10 finishes were tied for the series lead (Cole Custer), and he ranked second in top fives (16). Being a weekly contender was a trait that, admittedly, he needed to improve upon from his two years with Richard Childress Racing.

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“I was hoping — maybe they knew it was a one-year deal — I didn’t know,” Creed told Jayski.com. “I was hoping to go back and then midyear, I saw how things were playing out for other guys and knew that it probably wasn’t going to work with money and what they need.”

With 2023 series champion Custer being promoted to the Cup Series with Haas Factory Team and Riley Herbst departing for an opportunity with 23XI Racing, Creed saw an opening. He had spoken to Haas in past years about potentially making the jump, and the stars finally aligned.

“It reminds me of GMS when we were a truck team,” Creed said.

Joe Custer, president of Haas Factory Team, needed to fill two slots for his Xfinity organization. He got the two drivers he wanted with Creed and Sam Mayer.

With the rebrand from Stewart-Haas Racing to Haas Factory Team, Custer found it fortuitous to get two drivers with loads of experience at the Xfinity level. Though Ford lacks the number of entries compared to Chevrolet, Custer didn’t want his team to be at a deficit at any style of race track. He found what he believes are two well-rounded individuals.

With Creed bouncing between three different teams, all with different manufacturers in a 15-month period, Custer knows the California native has something to prove in 2025 after going winless in his first 106 Xfinity Series starts.

“I think there’s an edge about him,” Custer said. “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’s pairing with 2023 championship-winning crew chief Jonathan Toney was vital. The duo shares similar relaxed swaggers, allowing them to mesh at and away from the race track.

Creed knows that Toney and Cole had a special mix after competing against the No. 00 team for the previous two seasons. He plans on running the setups they did in the past to start the season before providing his input.

Away from the track, Custer said Creed has committed to his fitness and leadership. Haas believes Creed can reach his maximum potential.

“He was willing because of the fact that he had been in situations that I don’t think got the most out of him; we intend to get every bit out of him,” Custer added. “He embraced that discussion. It’s not just showing up with your helmet. You’ve got to show up on Monday at the shop and be on kill to get everything we can.”

Creed holds the series record of 13 runner-up finishes before winning his first race, and it’s not a record he bloats about. He knows he has to win.

MORE: Xfinity Series standings | Xfinity Series schedule

“With the way it ended at RCR, I felt like I needed to have [2024],” Creed said. “I’ve proved that I can run top five all the time. Now, I need to show that I can go win races. That’s what I’m missing: winning races.

“I really enjoyed last year, but I feel like I’m really enjoying my time right now. I’m getting older, and there are a lot of kids — I guess I still am a kid, but an older version of them. So, I’m trying to enjoy it all. I don’t know where my mindset is at. I’m going to do the best that I can, and I think we will find ourselves in Victory Lane.”

Through the first three races of 2025, Creed ranks third in the championship standings with one top-10 finish (third, Daytona). Creed will next race at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday in the GOVX 200 (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).