The O'Reilly Auto Parts Series landscape will change in 2027 as current championship leader Sheldon Creed moves to a new team.
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According to a Saturday announcement at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Creed will return to the Toyota Racing camp. He will join Sam Hunt Racing and replace Dean Thompson, who will move over to Haas Factory Team as part of a previous announcement.
According to team owner Sam Hunt, Creed will drive the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra, and he will be "the future of the team" after signing a multi-year deal.
In it for the long haul.
Welcome home, @sheldoncreed! #LetsHunt | #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/dxJRLwLOT6
— Sam Hunt Racing (@SamHuntRacing) October 3, 2026
"I couldn't be more excited to join Sam Hunt Racing in 2027 and to chase trophies alongside Kris Bowen as my crew chief," Creed said in a press release. "I've known Sam for several years and have watched SHR grow first-hand, so it's special to put my name above the door and to be able to also call it home.
"Each year SHR continues to make strides, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to continue to help grow the organization. Currently, I'm focused on winning a championship with Haas Factory Team and closing the season out strong but am thrilled to have my plans locked in for next year and into the future with a quality group of people."
The California native makes the announcement in the midst of a breakout season. He broke through for his first O'Reilly Auto Parts Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February after entering the race with a staggering 15 runner-up finishes.
Creed, who joined Haas Factory Team in 2025, has since gone on to win two more races during the Chase.
He captured the opener at Darlington Raceway and then he won at Bristol Motor Speedway. He has taken the points lead from Justin Allgaier, who dominated the regular season with six wins.
An official statement from HFT regarding Sheldon Creed's departure. pic.twitter.com/5J73L3CppY
— Haas Factory Team (@HaasFactoryTeam) October 3, 2026
Prior to joining Haas Factory Team, Creed spent one season at Joe Gibbs Racing (2024) and two seasons at Richard Childress Racing (2022-23). He made the playoffs each year of his full-time O'Reilly Auto Parts Series career, and he finished a career-best sixth in 2024.
Creed's time in stock car racing also includes championships in two other series. He won the ARCA Menards Series championship in 2018 and the Craftsman Truck Series championship in 2020.
He now joins Sam Hunt Racing, a team that started in 2019 with one race. This team has expanded over the seasons, first becoming a full-time operation with one car. Sam Hunt Racing has since expanded to two cars multiple times while welcoming several drivers into the fold.
Nearly 300 starts later, the team fields the No. 24 full-time for Harrison Burton and the No. 26 full-time for Thompson. Sam Hunt Racing continues to seek its first win, but the team hopes that Creed can break through early in 2027.
"Sam Hunt Racing's kind of been built a little bit different than a lot of teams," Hunt said on Saturday. "It's been progress every single year, and I felt like for us to take the next big step that we wanted to take, having a guy like Sheldon make a home with us and the Toyota family, was the move I needed to make.
"And I think I strive to be better in my role as an owner every year. And you know, the opportunity presented itself, and I was able to work on this for a little bit and be able to go to Sheldon with a deal that not only helps him on track but off track. And yeah, it's the logical next step for our race team."
