JR Motorsports has earned all the praise it received this season, yet overlooked in the conversation are Sheldon Creed and Haas Factory Team, both legitimate champions in their own right. Creed’s No. 00 team’s dominance at Darlington Raceway solidified their championship contention, with the victory igniting an early points battle in the Chase for the Championship.
“The start of tonight looked like that too,” Creed said. “They qualified in the front row and controlled the race between them until Stage 2. It’s tough to judge.”
“I feel like we’re a really strong team. Tonight proved we weren’t great to start, but we kept working on it and took control of the race. I’d say we’re championship caliber for sure.”
While Creed seized control, rivals Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil faded to 12th and 17th, respectively, limiting damage with fourth and seventh place points. Creed’s performance mirrors his all-season consistency, a point of pride for Haas Factory Team president Joe Custer.
“JRM has earned their reputation,” Custer stated. “We’re hunting them. It’s a rallying cry to pursue and take pride in doing so because they’re strong.”
“The playoffs are different. You bring your best stuff. I felt whoever got out first would win that race, so we have to be careful not to get ahead of ourselves and go back to work.”
Creed’s win follows his breakthrough O’Reilly Series victory earlier this year, ending a long drought. Custer attributes his success to the resources and trust placed in him.
“It’s very hard to win these races,” Custer said. “Oftentimes, the best car doesn’t win, and the best driver doesn’t win. His career speaks for itself. We encourage him to bring home clean cars, avoid confrontations, and execute. He’s doing that.”
The win underscores Creed’s maturity and Haas Factory Team’s strategic focus on reliability and consistency.
Mixed Bag for JR Motorsports
Allgaier’s struggles began early, with a hard crash in Turn 3 with 20 laps to go, dropping him from fifth to a costly finish. “I had one big moment in Turn 3, the left front locked up, and I hit the fence,” Allgaier admitted. “The damage hurts, but we’ll regroup and find fixes.”
Kvapil, while avoiding contact, faded late after Stage 2 adjustments. “We needed a caution near the end to free it up, but tightening it up for Stage Two backfired,” he explained. Crew chief Rodney Childers noted the challenges, citing tire sensitivity and adjustment missteps.
Childers added, “If I had to redo it, I’d refit and re-adjust post-restart. I assumed another caution, but couldn’t gamble with no tires at the end.”
Updated Standings
Sheldon Creed -7
Justin Allgaier -19
Carson Kvapil -36
Austin Hill -46
Corey Day -48
Sammy Smith -55
Jesse Love -58
Sam Mayer -66
Parker Retzlaff -78
Taylor Gray -79
Rajah Caruth -104
Quotables
Allgaier: “If this were Phoenix last year, I’d be out of contention. We’re alive to fight another day. The bonus points helped. Now we’re seven back—execution is key.”
Kvapil: “Stage points masked our finish. We did jobs early but lacked long-run setup. Tough break without a late caution.”
Creed: “We need two more wins, top-fives, and stage points. Seven ahead now—but they’ll catch us fast.”
Custer: “Fans win with this tight race. The 00 is special here, but they expect championships. We’re bringing our best to St. Louis.”
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