Creed Is Fourth At Dover After Frantic Lead Battle
Sheldon Creed (18) battles Austin Hill at Dover Motor Speedway. (Nigel Kinrade/NKP for Toyota Racing photo)
DOVER, Del. – Sheldon Creed battled for the win late in Saturday’s BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway before ending up with a fourth-place finish for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Driving the No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Creed stayed among the top five virtually all afternoon, earning 13 stage points before inserting himself into the middle of the lead battle as the laps wound down at the one-mile concrete oval.
Creed lined up on the inside of the front row for a restart with 11 to go – after leader and longtime NASCAR Xfinity Series rival Austin Hill chose the outside lane – and used a bold dive into turn three to clear Hill for the race lead on lap 190.
Hill battled back, getting Creed loose and reigniting their side-by-side battle for the next two laps before Carson Kvapil made a three-wide move into turn one stick, assuming command with eight to go in regulation.
Two more caution flags led to a double-overtime finish, with Creed battling in the first two rows both times before ending up fourth after a crash by Justin Allgaier froze the field on the final lap.
It was a wild and noteworthy effort for the Alpine, Calif., native, who welcomed his second child – Pierce Michael – along with wife Cami in advance of the Dover race weekend.
“That was chaotic there toward the end,” said Creed. “We got a caution for rain with 30 or 40 [laps] left. We kind of split it – half the field pitted and half didn’t – and we decided to pit before people started diving off because they were running out of fuel. That just helped us even more.
“We got to restart on the front row with 11 to go and got the lead and the 21 (Austin Hill) and I were racing really hard there, but we just couldn’t quite get rid of him,” Creed added. “Every time, I would get clear, he would just pack air and get me loose. Just good racing for the lead honestly.
“I appreciate everyone at Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing and we’ll reset for Darlington after the off week.”
Creed and the Xfinity Series field will take a week off before resuming at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Saturday, May 11 for the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200.
Broadcast coverage of the race will air live at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
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