Sheldon Creed has officially put himself in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship conversation.
Creed won Saturday night’s Fleetio 200 at Darlington Raceway, taking the opening race of the 2026 Chase and giving the No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet a massive victory when it mattered most.
Creed Takes Control Late
Creed saved one of his best performances of the season for the biggest moment.
With the race winding down, Creed had established himself as the driver to beat. With 10 laps remaining, Creed held a lead of roughly two seconds, putting himself in excellent position for the victory.
The pressure only increased as the laps clicked away, but Creed continued to maintain control. When Rajah Caruth slowed with a fuel issue with eight laps remaining, no caution came out, allowing Creed to keep the lead and continue building his advantage.
A Huge Moment for the No. 00 Team
The victory couldn’t have come at a better time for Creed.
He entered the Chase as the No. 3 seed after a remarkably consistent regular season. Creed recorded 16 top-10 finishes before the playoffs and earned his first O’Reilly Series victory earlier this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Now, he has another win and this one came in the opening race of the championship battle.
Darlington is one of NASCAR’s most demanding tracks, making Creed’s performance even more impressive.
Creed Sends a Championship Warning
The biggest takeaway from Saturday night is simple: Sheldon Creed is a legitimate championship threat.
Winning the first race of the Chase gives Creed valuable momentum heading into the rest of the postseason. The No. 00 team has shown consistency all year, and now it has proven that it can close the deal when the pressure is at its highest.
The Chase is just getting started, but Creed has already made his presence known.
Sheldon Creed came into Darlington looking to make a statement, and he did exactly that. The No. 00 Chevrolet is leaving South Carolina as a race winner and one of the biggest threats to win the 2026 championship.