Sheldon Creed has signed a multiyear deal to drive the No. 26 Toyota for Sam Hunt Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, starting next season. NASCAR.com reported the move Saturday, leaving the series points leader with a new home for 2027 while he chases a title with his current team.
What the Sheldon Creed deal includes
Creed, 29, leaves the No. 00 at Haas Factory Team after two seasons. He replaces Dean Thompson in the No. 26, and Thompson shifts to Haas, which is growing to a three-car operation. Crew chief Kris Bowen returns for his fifth season with Sam Hunt Racing, which launched at the end of the 2019 season, NASCAR.com said.
Sheldon Creed did not hide that leaving Haas wasn’t his plan. “I have zero complaints, and I wouldn’t say it was my first choice to move on,” he said, per NASCAR.com. He called a Cup Series opportunity his goal but said he is open to a long-term future with Sam Hunt Racing if that call never comes.
A breakthrough year for Sheldon Creed
The timing is notable. Creed went winless in his first four full seasons in the series, then broke through in February at Atlanta in his 138th career start, after 15 runner-up finishes, Haas Factory Team reported.
He added a win in the Chase opener at Darlington on Sept. 5, then won the Food City 300 at Bristol on Sept. 18 in overtime. That is three wins this season. Carson Kvapil, who won at Iowa earlier this season, is now Creed’s closest pursuer in the standings. Our report on his Iowa victory has more.
The Chase picture after Las Vegas
Sheldon Creed stayed on top of the standings, even on an off night. Corey Day won Saturday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, according to ESPN’s results. Creed finished 13th, and Justin Allgaier, who had trailed him by 11 points, finished 34th. ESPN’s standings now show Creed on 2,259 points, 19 ahead of Kvapil. Jesse Love has 2,237 and Allgaier 2,228.
Creed’s résumé before the move
Before the O’Reilly Series, Sheldon Creed won the 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championship and has eight Truck wins. He also took the 2018 ARCA Menards Series title with four wins that season. He remains with Haas for the rest of 2026. For more on the series field, see our Watkins Glen entry list.
