SHELDON CREED WINS AT DARLINGTON, MOVES TO SECOND IN NASCAR O’REILLY AUTO PARTS SERIES CHASE
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Sheldon Creed made a statement to open the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase, charging to the front late in Saturday night's Fleetio 200 at Darlington Raceway and leading the final 53 laps to capture his second victory of the season.
Driving the No. 00 Ollie's Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team, Creed crossed the finish line nearly three seconds ahead of runner-up Corey Day at the legendary 1.366-mile oval known as "The Lady in Black" and "Too Tough to Tame."
The victory also delivered a major boost to Creed's championship pursuit, moving him to second in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase standings, just seven points behind leader Justin Allgaier with eight races remaining.
Creed entered the Chase following a strong regular season that included 16 top-10 finishes through the opening 24 races. He started Saturday night's race from the 13th position and steadily worked his way forward while the Haas Factory Team continued making adjustments to the No. 00 Ollie's Chevrolet.
After narrowly missing stage points with a 12th-place finish in Stage 1, Creed restarted Stage 2 from 18th and quickly began moving through the field.
Fresh tires and an improving race car allowed Creed to break into the top 10 and continue his march toward the front. By the conclusion of Stage 2, he had climbed all the way to third, earning eight valuable stage points and putting himself in position to contend for the victory.
The turning point came during the stage caution when the No. 00 Haas Factory Team crew delivered a strong pit stop, sending Creed off pit road first and giving him control of the race for the start of the final stage.
Creed took advantage immediately.
With a push from Sammy Smith on the restart, Creed cleared the low line and began building an advantage. A multi-car crash on the backstretch erased his initial lead, setting up another restart and another opportunity for the field to challenge the No. 00.
Using the high line and another strong launch, he pulled away from the field and built his advantage to more than two seconds. From there, Creed controlled the final 41 green-flag laps and took the checkered flag after leading the final 53 laps of the race.
It was a complete team victory — strategy, pit-road execution and a driver who delivered when the race was on the line.
Darlington Raceway has been a place where Creed has come close before, including a previous runner-up finish. Saturday night, he finally conquered one of NASCAR's most demanding tracks.
The victory was Creed's second of the 2026 season and the second of his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series career. After breaking through for his first series victory earlier this season at Atlanta, Creed has now proven he can win at two dramatically different racetracks.
More importantly, he did it when the championship pressure increased.
Opening the Chase with a victory at Darlington puts Creed and the No. 00 Haas Factory Team squarely in the championship conversation.
Creed leaves Darlington second in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase standings, just seven points behind Justin Allgaier.
With eight races remaining, Creed and Haas Factory Team head to the second race of the Chase with momentum firmly on their side.
"This win means everything to me. I've been so close so many times and if I could pick a place to get a win, this is it," Creed said.
"I wasn't very happy with the car in the first run, but we worked on it all night. Jonathan Toney and the boys gave me what I needed at the end and I was able to get away. I'm super proud of everyone at Haas Factory Team and want to give a thank you to Ollie's and Chevrolet for their support all season."
Up Next
The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway for the second race of the Chase on Saturday, September 12, with race coverage on The CW beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Creed enters the weekend second in the Chase standings and just seven points from the championship lead.
About Sheldon Creed
Sheldon Creed competes full-time for Haas Factory Team in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 00 Ollie's Chevrolet. A native of Alpine, California, Creed is the 2020 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and a two-time winner in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Creed is currently second in the 2026 Chase standings as he pursues his first series championship.
About Haas Factory Team
Haas Factory Team competes in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series with the No. 00 and No. 41 Chevrolet entries. Led by team owner Gene Haas, the organization brings championship-caliber resources, personnel and experience to NASCAR competition.
About Ollie's Bargain Outlet
Ollie's Bargain Outlet is one of America's largest retailers of closeout merchandise and excess inventory, offering brand-name products at bargain prices. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ollie's operates hundreds of retail locations across the United States.
Media Contact:
Rod Wortham | Race Face Brand Development
rod@racefacebd.com
