Sheldon Creed Maximizes Sonoma with Stage Points and Third Straight Top-10 Finish

SONOMA, Calif. — Championship seasons aren't built only on victories. They're built on making the most of every opportunity.

That was exactly what Sheldon Creed and the No. 00 Pit Boss Chevrolet team accomplished Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, turning a strategy-driven afternoon into another top-10 finish while collecting valuable stage points that keep the Haas Factory Team driver firmly in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship battle.

Creed qualified 11th for the Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 and immediately focused on tire management during the opening run around the demanding 1.99-mile road course. Rather than chase stage points early, crew chief Jonathan Toney called Creed to pit before the conclusion of Stage 1, sacrificing track position in the short term to gain an advantage later in the race.

The strategy paid immediate dividends.

Creed restarted sixth to begin Stage 2 and quickly settled into the top 10 while avoiding contact during a hectic restart. As other teams elected to pit before the end of the stage, the No. 00 Pit Boss Chevrolet stayed on track, allowing Creed to climb to third and collect eight valuable stage points.

When the race entered its final stage, the focus shifted from stage points to bringing home another strong finish.

Restarting 14th, Creed patiently worked his way forward during the longest green-flag run of the afternoon. Despite battling a tight-handling race car and tire wear in the closing laps, he remained composed and capitalized when Taylor Gray encountered problems late in the race, securing a 10th-place finish.

The result marked Creed's third consecutive top-10 finish, dating back to Pocono, and another solid points day for the Haas Factory Team driver.

"We were a little too tight and didn't have enough drive on exit, but we got some decent stage points," Creed said. "I didn't do a great job managing those tires that last run, but it was good to salvage another top 10 as we keep chipping away at this points battle. Thank you to Pit Boss, Chevrolet, Road Ranger and Ollie's for their support all season long."

While Sonoma wasn't a race dominated by raw speed, it demonstrated another strength of the No. 00 team—its ability to execute race strategy and maximize every opportunity. In a championship fight where every point matters, eight stage points and another top-10 finish could prove invaluable as the season progresses.

Following Sonoma, Creed remains fourth in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship standings, keeping himself within striking distance as the series enters the second half of the regular season.

Up Next

The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday, July 4. With momentum building through three consecutive top-10 finishes, Creed and the No. 00 Haas Factory Team will look to continue closing the gap in the championship standings.

About Sheldon Creed

Sheldon Creed is the driver of the No. 00 Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. A NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and proven winner across multiple racing disciplines, Creed continues to establish himself as one of NASCAR's premier championship contenders.

About Haas Factory Team

Haas Factory Team competes in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Through its alliance with Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports, the organization fields race-winning equipment while pursuing championships at NASCAR's highest levels.

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