Sam Hunt Racing announced Saturday that NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points leader Sheldon Creed will join the team for next season and beyond, striking a multiyear deal as driver of the No. 26 Toyota.
Creed, who turned 29 years old Wednesday, makes the move after two seasons with Haas Factory Team’s No. 00 group. Creed replaces Dean Thompson, who will shift to the Haas team next year as it expands to a three-car effort.
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Creed has rocketed to the top of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings after posting two victories in the opening three races of The Chase presented by Mobil 1. The postseason’s next round is scheduled later Saturday, when the Focused Health 302 (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, ESPN Unlimited, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) kicks off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“I’ve known Sam for several years and have watched SHR grow first-hand, so it’s special to put my name above the door and to be able to also call it home,” Creed said in a release issued by the team. “Each year SHR continues to make strides, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue to help grow the organization. Currently, I’m focused on winning a championship with Haas Factory Team and closing the season out strong, but am thrilled to have my plans locked in for next year and into the future with a quality group of people.”
Sam Hunt Racing also announced that crew chief Kris Bowen will return for his fifth season with the organization. SHR also indicated that the rest of its driver and sponsor lineup for next year will be announced later.
All three of Creed’s O’Reilly Series wins have come in this year’s breakout season, his fifth as a full-time competitor on the circuit. He was infamously a 15-time runner-up over the course of his O’Reilly career before breaking through, and his most recent victories have helped lift him to an 11-point advantage in the standings over former series champ Justin Allgaier.
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Creed is an eight-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and he was crowned as the tour’s champion in 2020. The California native also won the 2018 title in the ARCA Menards Series as part of a four-win season.