NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship points leader Sheldon Creed will join Sam Hunt Racing full-time in 2027.
LAS VEGAS -- NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship points leader Sheldon Creed will join Sam Hunt Racing full-time in 2027.
Creed will join SHR on a multi-year deal, beginning in 2027. He will drive the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra after two seasons with Haas Factory Team and their No. 00 entry.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join Sam Hunt Racing in 2027 and to chase trophies alongside Kris Bowen as my crew chief. 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 press release. “Each year, SHR continues to make strides and I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue to help grow the organization."
Creed will close out the season with Haas and try to win the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship. He leads by 11 points over Justin Allgaier heading into the fourth race of the 2026 postseason.
If Creed can win the championship, it would not only be a massive upset to Allgaier -- who earned the No. 1 seed in commanding fashion -- but it'd be a major breakthrough for Creed. He could become the second driver in the last six seasons to get the championship in the same season as his first career win.
Creed is effectively doing a ride swap with Dean Thompson, who will join Haas in 2027. Haas is expanding to three entries next season but hasn't stated who will drive which car. However, they will have an entirely new lineup with current drivers Sam Mayer and now Creed leaving the organization.
It's also unknown who Creed will have as a teammate. Although Harrison Burton is racing SHR's No. 24 car this season, the organization stated information about the No. 24 car and SHR's team and driver partnerships is going to be announced at a later date.
For now, it's all about how thrilled team owner Sam hunt is with signing Creed.
“Today marks one of the most fulfilling announcements I've had the pleasure of making since founding SHR,” Hunt said. “Sheldon fits every category I look for in a driver that can build a scrappy race team into its future; talent, experience, personality, and most importantly - who he is as a human. He's a racer in the purest form, a winner, and a rockstar husband, father and friend.”
Creed has three wins, 47 top-five finishes and 87 top-10’s in 163 NOAPS starts. This is his fifth full-time NOAPS season. His sixth will be with a team that is still finding its way.
In 284 NOAPS entries, dating back to 2019, Sam Hunt Racing has yet to win and has 13 top-five finishes and 43 top-10 finishes. The organization has also yet to even make the postseason, with a best points finish of 16th with Dean Thompson in 2025.
Hunt sees Creed as a driver to elevate the organization.
“This move is years in the making, and I'm proud to be able to sign Sheldon to a deal that allows him to grow both on and off the track. We're grateful to the partners that have helped make this happen, as well as the continued support from Toyota Racing and TRD. We look forward to watching Sheldon and his team compete for a championship this fall and wish them nothing but the best in these final six races,” Hunt said.
Sheldon Creed made NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series history for the most second-place finishes in the series all-time before getting his first career win at EchoPark Speedway Atlanta in February. Creed went the rest of the regular season without a win before picking up two wins in the first three Chase races, at Darlington Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
