Eyes on O’Reilly: On the Brink of a Title, Haas Might Be Heading for a Rebuild

It’s fitting how, in NASCAR, things can change so fast it gives fans whiplash.

The last time Sheldon Creed was in a media center, he was the winner of his second race of The Chase for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Bristol Motor Speedway. Another feather in the cap for Haas Factory Team. 

The next time he showed up at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Creed had a No. 26 hat on and it was announced he was on his way to Sam Hunt Racing in 2027.

In a week of silly season madness, Creed’s move stands out. In essence, it completes a trade between Haas and SHR with Dean Thompson, who announced he’d be joining Haas in a third car back in August. 

It’s a switch that, when only considering talent, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Thompson has been solid with 12 top 10s in the O’Reilly Series with SHR over three seasons, but Creed is a former Trucks champion and looks to be in a great spot to win his first O’Reilly title. Even if his 2026 fizzles out somehow, he’ll still have more wins and over five times more top 10s than Thompson.  

How does this move make sense? Easy. It comes down to money.

“I wouldn’t say it was my first choice to move on, but the business has to make sense,” Creed said. “That overrules results and performance on the track sometimes.”

Later, after a 13th-place finish in the race to retain his series points lead, Creed told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass that negotiations had been ongoing all summer, that he wanted to stay with Haas but couldn’t pass up a first time opportunity from SHR.

“I get paid for the first time in my life by a race team, so I’m excited about that,” Creed said. 

Sheldon Creed finished 13th but held on to the points lead by 19 over Carson Kvapil. What he said about retaining the points lead, missing an opportunity to make it bigger and his first race since the announcement he's headed to Sam Hunt Racing next year. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/FyaLK6bvjA

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 4, 2026

It’s hard to imagine a driver as talented as Creed having to race in NASCAR out of his own pocket. After winning the Truck Series title in 2020, his GMS Racing No. 2 ran several races in the 2021 season without sponsors. He bounced between three different teams — now four — in his O’Reilly Series career and has been successful at every stop, but hasn’t been able to find a place where the business keeps him around.

Meanwhile, sponsorship is a big reason Thompson was brought up to the O’Reilly Series. He was okay in the Truck Series with 11 top 10s in 70 starts, but far from a breakout star. But he brought the backing of Thompson Pipe Group that he’s held since entering NASCAR’s national series. With the jump to Haas, in what was originally announced as a third ride, he brings MCM Transportation as well.

Creed is not the only driver in the Haas stable on their way out. JR Motorsports announced on Sept. 22 that Sam Mayer would be back with the team in 2027 after spending the last two seasons with Haas. He started his O’Reilly career with JRM in 2022. 

Mayer, by the way, finished sixth at Vegas and still has a chance of catching his teammate Creed with a 51-point gap. That’s two Haas teams, in its second year since its split from former co-owner Tony Stewart, in title contention. On the other hand, it’s also two very talented drivers on their way out.

What does this spell for Haas in 2027? Considering it seemed the major hang up with Creed came on the business side, nothing good. 

There are tons of “pay” drivers who can have success and win in O’Reilly. However, if it becomes a primary need to get someone onto your team, suddenly the free agency pool isn’t as deep as it would be without.

Take Nick Sanchez, who has finished outside the top 20 just twice in nine events with Peterson Racing since the closure of AM Racing because, again, the business wasn’t working out. The driver who replaced him this season at Big Machine Racing, Patrick Staropoli, has a best finish of 13th twice this season, both coming at EchoPark Speedway, where Sanchez won last year. 

Would Sanchez be considered for the Haas ride? Probably not, even though he’s arguably the best prospect in the sport without a contract. That’s part of the predicament Haas seems to be in. Talent isn’t enough. A title this year and all it might bring for the team isn’t enough.

Haas has had a solid to great O’Reilly program since 2017, regardless of driver. Maybe that trend continues with Thompson and whoever fills out their remaining seats. If not, the team might stand as an example for how the teams in the series need to find new ways to adapt if they want to balance good business with good results.