They say that nobody remembers the person who came second. That certainly won’t be the case for Sheldon Creed, who secured his 11th runner-up finish at Michigan International Speedway in the Xfinity Series. The 26-year-old racing driver has etched his name in the record books for having the most number of second-place finishes without a single win, breaking a statistic that was previously held by Daniel Hemric and Dale Jarrett.

Considered somewhat of a journeyman, Creed has secured a move to the Haas Factory team for the 2025 season, where he will be partnering alongside Sam Mayer. The former Truck Series driver is set to switch his team for the third time in three years, having raced for Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Is Creed harming his development with frequent switches?

Nobody should doubt Sheldon Creed’s ability. The 26-year-old has a staggering 10 top-five finishes this season, the most in the Xfinity Series in the 21 races completed so far. Yet, he hasn’t qualified for the playoffs and is 69 points above the cutline with six races remaining. Despite his impressive statistics, he’s only seventh in the driver standings, with no stage wins all season. Surprising, right? Even part-time driver Carson Kvapil has led more laps in comparison to Sheldon Creed’s 49, an indication that the driver needs to develop his talent further to go from being a promising prospect to a true world-beater.

Comparing him to other promising drivers in the Xfinity Series, YouTuber Eric Estepp shared his views on the subject in a recent video. He said, “In this day and age, when we talk about top NASCAR prospects, we mention guys like Carson Kvapil or Connor Zilisch, or Corey Heim. I don’t feel like Sheldon Creed is in that conversation. He’s not top-five if we’re talking about future Cup Series prospects. And bouncing around from team to team, manufacturer to manufacturer every single year, I don’t believe is good for a young driver’s development.”

Eric Estepp may have a point. With his move to the Haas Factory team, it seems like Sheldon Creed is looking for external solutions by jumping ship, instead of getting some much-needed stability in his career. He has already raced for two different manufacturers in the last two years, driving the No. 2 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing, and the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Next season, he will be driving the No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the Haas Factory team, hoping that it would be the solution to his winless run in his Xfinity Series career so far.

If the ongoing Xfinity Series is anything to go by, it’s easy to speculate that the Haas Factory Team will have competitive cars waiting for Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed. After all, Cole Custer, who is currently racing for Stewart-Haas Racing is first in the driver standings, while Riley Herbst is sixth. Both drivers have secured a win this season and will be favorites heading into the playoff.

Looking at how the two drivers have performed this season may have motivated Sheldon Creed to make the switch. However, he is switching from Joe Gibbs Racing, a team that has won four Xfinity Series titles in their history! If he hasn’t succeeded in that team, what’s the guarantee he will do so at Stewart-Haas Racing? Creed, who will turn 27 years old in September is no longer a young driver. If he aims to secure a Cup Series seat in the future, it would be in his best interest to build a stable foundation at a competitive side, even if that starts at the Haas Factory Team.

Sheldon Creed is aiming high at the Haas Factory Team

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Before the race at Michigan International Speedway, the President of the Haas Factory Team, Joe Custer, sat down with Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer, announcing the duo as the driving pair for the newly rebranded team. With Tony Stewart taking a backseat from NASCAR, his business partner Gene Haas will remain in the sport, retaining control of just one Cup Series seat, and the two Xfinity Series cars. Cole Custer, who is driving the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, will progress into the Cup Series, with Sheldon Creed taking his place in 2025.

Speaking about his hopes at the Haas Factory Team, Sheldon Creed said in the press conference, “I’ve won in every division I’ve raced in and I feel like I’ve earned my place in the Xfinity Series, but that’s not enough. I want to win in the Xfinity Series. I watched what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship and when I talked with him about the setup of the organization, everything he said resonated with me. I feel like Haas Factory Team is a place where I can succeed and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.”

As things stand, Creed’s primary focus will be to end the ongoing Xfinity Series season strongly. Five races remain before playoffs begin at Kansas Speedway, and the 26-year-old’s goal will be to end his winless streak as soon as possible. While he could still make it to the playoffs on points, the 2020 Truck Series winner will want to end his season on a high, preferably after experiencing what it feels like to be in Victory Lane, before his inevitable move to the Haas Factory Team.

What are your thoughts about Sheldon Creed switching the the Haas Factory Team? Let us know in the comments!