When he begins his NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie season in 2022, Sheldon Creed will be sporting a red-and-white livery. Richard Childress Racing announced Saturday that Creed will drive the #2 Chevrolet Camaro with sponsorship from Whelen Engineering.
Creed, currently in the hunt for his second straight Camping World Truck Series championship, signed with RCR in mid-September for the full 2022 Xfinity season. He made three starts in the series in 2017 and 2019, all of which ended with some type of misfortune as he never finished higher than thirty-fourth.
An automotive lighting system manufacturer, Whelen is most notable for its sponsorship of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour since 2005. The company is also the title sponsor for the Whelen Euro Series, and the NWES was technically the last time that Whelen sponsored an Xfinity car: in 2013, the series appeared on former NWES champion Anthony Gandon‘s vehicle for two rounds. Coincidentally, Gandon and Creed both raced against each other in the Stadium Super Trucks at the 2015 season finale in Las Vegas.
“Whelen Engineering takes pride in our long-standing involvement in motorsports,” stated Whelen motorsports general manager Peter Tiezzi III. “We know that our relationship with an iconic team in Richard Childress Racing and a young, talented racer in Sheldon Creed illustrates our commitment to auto racing, while simultaneously increasing the public’s awareness of our presence and capabilities.”
In the late 1990s and much of the 2000s, Whelen sponsored Marsh Racing‘s Xfinity cars piloted by the likes of Ted Christopher, Steve Park, and Dave Blaney. Blaney also carried the Whelen sponsorship to the Cup Series in 2004 with Bill Davis. In 2016, Whelen appeared RCR Cup driver Ryan Newman‘s #31 for two races. RCR member Austin Dillon‘s #3 will also have Whelen branding for Sunday’s Cup race on the Charlotte Roval.
“Whelen is a name synonymous with motorsports so it is truly an honor to represent them as I start my first year of full-time competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” commented Creed. “I’m going to do my best to make Whelen Engineering, its employees and the entire Whelen community proud, and I’m looking forward to doing so with a competitive team like RCR.”
With Creed taking over the #2 (fittingly his Truck number as well), he replaces Myatt Snider in the car. Snider, who was eliminated from the playoffs after Saturday’s Roval event, will remain in the Chevrolet/RCR family as a development driver despite being in the #2 for just one season. Although RCR has announced plans to field a second car, FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass said he does not expect Snider to fill that ride.
