Sheldon Creed Secures First O’Reilly Series Win as Sam Mayer’s Celebration Goes Awry

Atlanta, GA – Sheldon Creed earned his first career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, February 21, 2026, in a dramatic finish that saw teammate Sam Mayer inadvertently wreck his car while celebrating the win. The race concluded with a thrilling dash to the finish after a late-race incident involving Austin Hill and Ross Chastain.

A Long-Awaited Victory for Creed

Creed, the 2020 Craftsman Truck Series champion, had faced a frustrating run of near misses, accumulating 15 second-place finishes in 138 starts before finally breaking through. The win came after a chaotic final lap where contact between Austin Hill and Ross Chastain opened the door for Creed to take the lead.

“I don’t have to finish second again before winning,” Creed joked in the post-race press conference. “It’s been four years of trying, 137 starts, 15 second-place finishes. It wears on you.”

Creed acknowledged the respect shown by his fellow competitors, including Hill and Chastain, despite the circumstances of the finish. He similarly noted the enthusiastic reaction from the crowd.

Mayer’s Celebratory Mishap

In a moment of exuberance, Sam Mayer attempted to congratulate Creed on his victory by driving alongside him and playfully bumping his car. However, Mayer then cut across the infield grass as a shortcut to pit road. The saturated ground from earlier storms caused his No. 41 Chevrolet to lose control, ripping apart the front suspension and causing significant damage.

Witnesses described the incident as a costly but understandable reaction to the excitement of the moment. Similar incidents have occurred in the past, such as Carl Edwards damaging his car while celebrating a win in 2011.

Race Recap

Sam Mayer started the race from the pole position but fell back after a flat tire. He recovered to finish seventh before his celebratory mishap. Creed started fourth and steadily worked his way to the front, leading six times for a total of 17 laps.

The Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 saw several pre-race adjustments that sent Justin Allgaier, Jeb Burton, Ross Chastain, and Jeremy Clements to the rear of the field.

Creed’s Journey and Future Aspirations

Creed’s path to victory wasn’t straightforward, having driven for prominent teams like Richard Childress Racing, Gibbs, and Haas without achieving a win. He credits a renewed focus on physical fitness and mental preparation, guided by Josh Wise, for helping him overcome self-doubt and regain confidence.

“Every year, I started to think, man I am just not fine enough,” Creed admitted. “I had to start believing in myself.”

Now with his first O’Reilly Series win under his belt, Creed has his sights set on further success, including multiple wins, another championship, and a potential move to the NASCAR Cup Series.