Race Weekend Central

Sheldon Creed Tames Daytona Road Course for 2nd Truck Win

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Sheldon Creed showed a lot of muscle early in Sunday’s Sunoco 159 at the Daytona International Speedway road course, moving up from 14th to the third in the first stage. 

That strength proved to be no fluke for Creed, who held 19 of the race’s 44 laps to get the win ahead of his GMS Racing teammate, Brett Moffitt.

Moffitt and Creed won the first two stages, giving GMS a sweep of all three. 

It’s the second win of the season for Creed, who won a rain-shortened event earlier this season at Kentucky Speedway. The win also earns creed a $50,000 bonus in the Triple Truck Challenge. 

“I’m thankful for this opportunity to try and make a name for myself,” Creed said after the race. “I tear up a lot of (stuff). I just try and give my all every time I’m in the truck.”

Behind Creed and Moffitt, the top finishers were Raphael Lessard (with a career-best result), Matt Crafton and Austin Hill. Tyler Ankrum was sixth, ahead of Grant Enfinger, Parker Kligerman, Scott Lagasse Jr. and Stewart Friesen

“Brett’s really good on the road course,” Creed said. “He has helped me so much in the Chevy simulator. I just didn’t want to make a mistake there. He tried to cross me up a few times in [turns] 3 and 5 and I just stopped, to be honest with you, so he couldn’t get his run.”

Moffitt, who took the top spot on the first lap en route to winning the first segment, combined with Creed to lead all but eight of the race’s laps. Moffitt had a truck good enough to win but was unable to get past Creed on the overtime restart. 

“I was trying to move him in the infield, I was quite a bit faster, I just couldn’t suck up to him on the straightaway to the final chicane,” Moffitt said. “Had I not had that issue, we’d have been all right…. It’s frustrating to come in second, but I’m glad GMS had two really fast trucks here.”

The importance of track position was underscored early. As many trucks pitted to start the second stage, Christian Eckes opted to stay out. The move worked initially, but Eckes spun on lap 17, negating the dice roll for track position over fresher tires. Eckes went on to finish 12th.

Lessard finished third and as stage two began looked to be in line to pace the field in the third stage. But when he slipped up on the race’s 29th lap, it enabled drivers including Crafton and Moffitt to coast by. Crafton and Moffitt swapped the lead up multiple times until 12 to go, when Creed moved back to the front for good.  

Ty Majeski, who finished 32nd, was transported to the infield care center following Sunday’s race.

The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series returns to action at 5 p.m. ET on Friday in the KDI Office Technology 200 at Dover Speedway and will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

Sunoco 159 Results

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VERNA May

That was a fabulous race. I’m a life long Brett Moffitt fan, but it’s hard to be disappointed with his 2nd place finish. Watching 2 pros race side by side on a difficult road course, without taking each other out, was a thrill. Congratulations to GMS, Sheldon Creed and Brett Moffitt for putting on an incredible show. They raced each other cleanly. ?

Tom B

I am impressed how fresh Sheldon looked after the race because his body looks thick, like a Scott Bloomquist. Just being thin doesn’t necessary mean you’re in good physical condition.

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