Sheldon Creed has spent two seasons trying to make the No. 00 Chevrolet a regular presence near the front of the field. This year, the pieces finally started falling into place. The victories came, the confidence grew, and the possibility of a championship became real. Yet the final weekend with Haas Factory Team brings a strange contrast: just as things began to click on track, Creed found himself preparing for a future elsewhere. 

“Yeah, we negotiated a long time all the way through December, but yeah, unfortunately we just couldn’t meet in the middle somewhere. I mean, yeah, that’s pretty much it; we just couldn’t agree,” Creed told Chris Gollon via X.

Creed offered that explanation when asked whether he had hoped to remain with Haas Factory Team and why a new agreement did not materialize. His comments reveal that the discussions extended over several months, but neither side managed to find common ground. 

He did not disclose the terms being discussed or identify a particular sticking point. What he did make clear was that continuing with Haas had been a possibility he wanted to explore.

The departure was confirmed in October, when Sam Hunt Racing announced that Sheldon Creed would join its No. 26 Toyota beginning in 2027 under a multiyear agreement. His departure from Richard Childress Racing in 2023 also came after he initially expected to return. He will move on after two seasons driving the No. 00 Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team.

The announcement also came during a breakthrough campaign for Creed, who had collected all three of his O’Reilly Series victories in 2026 by that point.

That timing makes the separation particularly notable. Creed is not leaving after a season in which he struggled to find results. Instead, he is heading into a new opportunity after establishing himself as one of the leading championship contenders. His success with Haas has been an important part of that turnaround, something he acknowledged when discussing the decision to move on.

In October, Creed admitted that leaving was not necessarily his preferred outcome. Speaking when his Sam Hunt Racing deal was announced, he said he had no complaints about Haas and explained that business considerations can sometimes take precedence over results and performance on track.

His latest comments add another dimension to that explanation. While the negotiations did not produce the extension he wanted, his feelings toward the organization appear to have remained positive. 

When asked what he would remember most about his time there, Creed did not begin with the victories or the championship fight. He went straight to the people who made the experience special.

Sheldon Creed says Haas’ people made the two-year stint special

“I mean, I’m just mostly going to remember the people. Everyone in the shop, the road crew, everyone’s been great. It’s been arguably the most fun I’ve had in a two-year stint. And just, it’s all the people.”

Creed’s answer placed the emphasis on the environment around the No. 00 team rather than what happened on the racetrack. The shop personnel and road crew were central to his experience, and he made it clear that the relationships he built over the two seasons are what he expects to carry forward.

 That appreciation was not simply a farewell courtesy; he described the stint as arguably the most fun he had experienced across a two-year period.He also pointed to the potential he believes Haas Factory Team still has, making the prospect of leaving even harder to accept.

“The people are just amazing there. And the ceiling, I feel like, could be so high. So it was a little disheartening to not get a deal done to go on for hopefully a couple more years. But, yeah, I’ll just cherish this time for a long time to come.”

The phrase “a couple more years” is telling. Creed was not merely hoping to finish the current season with the team before moving elsewhere. He had hoped to extend the partnership and continue building with the same group. His description of the organization’s ceiling suggests he saw further opportunity at Haas, even after the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

There is also a clear distinction between his disappointment over the contract situation and his assessment of the people involved. Creed did not criticize the organization or suggest that personal relationships had deteriorated. 

Instead, he praised the shop atmosphere and the road crew, while acknowledging that the business side of racing had led to a different outcome.

His next destination offers a fresh opportunity. Sam Hunt Racing confirmed that Creed will take over the No. 26 Toyota in 2027, with crew chief Kris Bowen returning to lead the team. The multiyear agreement gives Creed a defined future with the organization, while Haas prepares for its next chapter with a different driver lineup.

For now, however, the focus remains on finishing his time with Haas Factory Team. Creed’s three victories have made 2026 a landmark season for the No. 00 group, but his own reflections suggest that the most lasting part of the experience will be the people behind those results.

The negotiations may not have delivered the continuation he wanted. Yet Creed’s message is not one of resentment. He is leaving disappointed that another couple of years could not be arranged, but grateful for a two-year stint he says he will cherish long after his final weekend with the team.