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Sheldon Creed Takes a Veiled Dig at RCR’s Early Season Misery After Brilliant Kickoff With JGR

Published 03/10/2024, 3:32 PM EDT

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Sheldon Creed has only led 2 out of the 694 laps in the last 4 Xfinity Series races. But, he still has managed to showcase 3 top 5 finishes displaying a commendable race-craft. Last December, it was revealed that Creed would start the 2024 season full-time with his hands behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. His last season with a Toyota was in the 2018 Arca Menard Series, driving the #28 Toyota Camry for MDM Motorsports.

Creed’s recent third-place finish at the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix has positioned him at the 6th place in the Series standings. He is 5 points behind Jesse Love of team RCR, who is presently driving as Sheldon’s replacement for the #2 Car.

Sheldon Creed Celebrates His Hard-Earned Third Top 5 Place Finish

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After the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix, Creed rejoiced at finishing third after a string of significant hurdles throughout the race.

During a post-race conversation with Reporter Kevin Nix from Frontstretch, Creed expressed joy, saying, “It feels good, you know, we’ve had a lot of good finishes at the start of the year.” Acknowledging the struggle, he added, “Um you know coming from the back there wish we could have started where we qualified. But uh nonetheless a good run all day. Struggled in the stages a little bit to get track position there.”

He highlighted the intensity of the competition, remarking, “Just everyone racing really hard and blocking air and just making it tough to get through there. So um yeah, I got some track position, you know, when they started crashing there.” Despite the obstacles, Creed capitalized at the right time.

“Guys on Pit Road did a great job getting these spots,” Creed asserted, crediting his team’s efforts.

With this hard-earned third top-five finish, Creed reflected on his improved performance this season, stating, “Compared to my last couple of seasons, we haven’t started great. Yeah, start now we have is great.” The race marked a significant milestone for Creed, signaling a promising journey with Joe Gibbs Racing.

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The 26-year-old had changed to JGR after ending his two-year long stint with Richard Childress Racing. Now, the Xfinity Series Standings is witnessing a heated rivalry between Team RCR and Team JGR. After finishing second at the Daytona Xfinity Series Race, Creed found himself trailing behind former teammate Austin Hill of Team RCR. However, with Creed’s recent third-place finish at the Phoenix Race, he has surged ahead in the rankings. 

Meanwhile, Hill’s fourth-place finish has lowered him to the second position with Chandler Smith, Creed’s current teammate at JGR, claiming the top spot. The competition further intensifies with Creed’s replacement, rookie driver Jesse Love, also making his mark for Team RCR, securing a second-place finish at Phoenix and entering the top five in the standings.

This significant shift highlights the heated competition between Team RCR’s No. 2 and 21 with Team JGR’s Nos. 18 and 81, establishing the route for an enthralling Xfinity Series battle.

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With the standings shaking up and tensions rising between Team RCR and Team JGR, fans brace for an electrifying showdown in the upcoming races, anticipating more intense battles in the Xfinity Series.

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Written by:

Susamay Dey

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Susamay Dey is a NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports. Combining his passion for writing and motorsports, he has gone on to pen down numerous articles on Stock Car Racing's fan favorites, like Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Bubba Wallace. While his strength lies in Core Sport reporting, he can also cover lifestyle pieces, enlightening fans about the lesser-known facts about NASCAR stars and their personal lives.
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Edited by:

Shreya Singh