Getty Sheldon Creed has inked a contract extension.
Richard Childress Racing has made two moves for the 2023 Xfinity Series season. The team has brought back Sheldon Creed and his primary partner.
RCR announced the news on November 2 ahead of the trip to Phoenix Raceway. The team confirmed that Creed will return as the driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro. He will have Whelen Engineering as his primary partner once again after the company signed on for the entire 2022 season.
“I’m proud to continue my relationship with Richard Childress Racing and Whelen Engineering and look forward to building on the foundation we laid together in 2022,” Creed said in a press release. “It’s been a dream come true to drive for a legendary car owner such as Richard Childress, and I truly appreciate my relationship with Peter and everyone at Whelen Engineering.
“My goal is to go out and win races and championships for RCR and Whelen, and to continue to showcase their American-made products to race fans throughout the country.”
Creed Has Made Progress Throughout the 2022 Season
GettySheldon Creed secured crucial points at Darlington Raceway.
The 2022 season marked Creed’s full debut in the Xfinity Series. He had four previous starts with one top-10 finish, but he took on a new challenge as the driver of the No. 2 entry for a championship-winning organization.
Creed’s first half of the season was marred by some inconsistent performances due to mechanical failures, crashes, and some bad luck. He had seven DNFs — five due to crashes — and nine top-10 finishes in the first 23 races.
One week after a crash at Daytona International Speedway, Creed turned in his best performance. He led 47 laps at Darlington Raceway and put himself in contention for the win. He ultimately finished second after a wild battle with Kyle Larson opened the door for Noah Gragson to steal the win.
Creed has since added a seventh-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway and a second-place finish at Martinsville Speedway to his season totals. He did not reach the playoffs as a rookie, but he is currently 14th in the standings and 21 points behind Kaulig Racing’s Landon Cassill.
Creed Will Continue His Pursuit of a Playoff Appearance
GettySheldon Creed races at the Charlotte Roval.
Creed will cap off the 2022 season at Phoenix Raceway, the track where he sealed his 2020 Truck Series championship title. He will make his third career Xfinity Series start at the one-mile track, and he will set out to secure at least his second top-10 finish.
Once the race is over, Creed will head into the offseason. He will have some time off before he returns to the No. 2 in February to kick off his pursuit of a playoff spot once again.
If Creed can take the No. 2 to Victory Lane, he will join a group of drivers that have achieved success in the entry. Of RCR’s 88 Xfinity Series wins, 31 have featured a variety of drivers in the No. 2. This list includes Elliott Sadler, Johnny Sauter, Michael McDowell, Myatt Snider, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick, and Ron Hornaday Jr.
Reddick is the most recent driver to cap off a career year for RCR. He drove the No. 2 during the 2019 season, and he won six Xfinity Series races. He also captured the championship trophy for the historic organization before moving up to the Cup Series.
