SHELDON CREED TAKES NASCAR O’REILLY AUTO PARTS SERIES POINTS LEAD FOLLOWING RUNNER-UP AT GATEWAY
Darlington Victory Followed by Second-Place Finish at World Wide Technology Raceway Puts Haas Factory Team Driver Atop Championship Standings
MADISON, Ill. (September 12, 2026) — Sheldon Creed continues to make his presence felt in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase.
One week after winning the opening race of the postseason at Darlington Raceway, Creed backed it up Saturday night with a runner-up finish at World Wide Technology Raceway, a performance that moved the driver of the No. 00 Road Ranger Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team into the championship points lead.
Through the opening two races of the Chase, Creed has done exactly what championship contenders need to do — put himself in position to win races, avoid costly mistakes and capitalize when opportunities present themselves.
Saturday night's race at Gateway provided plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong.
An early multi-car incident on pit road created one of the most chaotic moments of the evening and impacted several competitors. Creed and the Haas Factory Team successfully navigated the trouble and kept the No. 00 Road Ranger Chevrolet in contention.
From there, Creed remained a fixture near the front of the field as the race developed.
As the laps wound down, Jesse Love made his move for the lead and took control of the race. Creed continued his charge toward the front, moving into the runner-up position and attempting to close the gap on Love during the final laps.
Love ultimately took the victory, with Creed crossing the finish line second to give Race Face Brand Development drivers a one-two finish at Gateway.
More importantly for Creed, the result completed another strong weekend in his pursuit of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship.
"We've had a great couple of weeks," Creed said following the race. "We went to Darlington and won. We came to Gateway and ran second. We lead the points. The Chase is far from over — there are a lot of talented guys behind us — but I like where we are right now."
That may be the biggest takeaway from Saturday night.
Creed isn't simply collecting strong finishes. He and the Haas Factory Team are building momentum at exactly the right time.
The Chase began one week earlier at Darlington Raceway, where Creed put together a dominant late-race performance to capture the victory and immediately establish the No. 00 team as a championship threat.
At Gateway, they proved Darlington was no one-week performance.
Two races. A victory. A runner-up finish. And now the championship points lead.
There is still plenty of racing ahead, and Creed knows the championship will not be decided in September. But through the opening rounds of the Chase, the No. 00 Haas Factory Team has positioned itself exactly where it wants to be.
At the front.
Creed and the team will now turn their attention to one of NASCAR's most demanding tracks when the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, September 18.
ABOUT SHELDON CREED
Sheldon Creed, 28, is a native of Cameron Park, California and one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation.
Creed captured the 2018 ARCA Racing Series championship before winning the 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championship. His aggressive driving style, versatility and ability to perform under pressure have made him a consistent contender throughout his NASCAR career.
In 2026, Creed competes full-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series for Haas Factory Team, driving the No. 00 Chevrolet and pursuing another NASCAR championship.
Creed is represented by Race Face Brand Development.
ABOUT HAAS FACTORY TEAM
Haas Factory Team is a NASCAR organization founded by Gene Haas and built upon decades of competition at the highest levels of motorsports.
The organization competes in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series with a focus on race-winning performance, technical development and championship contention. In 2026, Sheldon Creed pilots the No. 00 Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team as the organization pursues the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship.
ABOUT ROAD RANGER
Road Ranger is a growing travel center and convenience store company serving professional drivers, travelers and local communities across the United States.
With locations throughout the Midwest and surrounding regions, Road Ranger provides fuel, food, beverages and travel essentials while building its brand around serving customers on the road.
Road Ranger partnered with Sheldon Creed and Haas Factory Team as the primary sponsor of the No. 00 Chevrolet at World Wide Technology Raceway.
MEDIA CONTACT
Rod Wortham
Race Face Brand Development
rod@racefacebd.com
racefacebranddevelopment.com
