MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Car owner Richard Childress was speechless as he watched his drivers, Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill, battle for a spot in next week’s Xfinity Series championship before they connected in the final lap and failed to advance.
“I’ve had drivers drive me but none as stupid as Sheldon Creed,” Childress told NBC Sports as he exited Martinsville Speedway after Saturday night’s Xfinity Series race.
“You don’t do this as a team player. What else do you want me to say?
When asked if Creed – who will leave the team after this season – will be in car number 2 next weekend in Phoenix, Childress did not answer before getting into a golf cart and being led away from the track.
After being told that Childress was unhappy with him, Creed was asked by NBC Sports what he would say to his boss of the past two years.
“To Richard, I just want to thank him for being here,” Creed said. “I’ve had a great two years and I’ve learned a ton. It’s time for me to move on. I’ll always be grateful to Richard. It was my first Xfinity opportunity out of the Trucks.”
Creed fired: ‘I don’t know if it’s right’
Sheldon Creed reflects on his long-running battle with teammate Austin Hill after failing to qualify for the Championship 4, saying he’s not proud of racing like that and doesn’t like racing like that.
Video was shown Andy Petree, vice president of racing for Richard Childress Racing, gives a shout out to Creed on pit road after the race before leaving.
It all came to an end last Saturday.
As the leader before overtime began, Hill had a chance to make the playoffs. Creed, who was next to Hill on the front row, had to win to advance.
Creed and Hill raced side by side on the last lap, connecting. Creed took the lead in Turn 3 and struggled to get past Turn 4. Hill ran up behind him and was hit from behind, sending him into the wall.
Justin Allgaier sat alongside Creed and lined him up for the win I’m going to the race. Hill saw his hopes of progressing when he failed to finish and placed 21st. Cole Custer, who finished 19th, earned the final transition spot. Custer finished seven points ahead of Hill.
Hill fails to enter Xfinity Championship 4
Austin Hill says it was “not good” to drive Sheldon Creed on the track in Turn 1 but Creed didn’t give him the chance to go into Turn 3 despite winning, describing him as “unqualified”. about.”
“I thought I was doing everything right most of the time,” Hill said of his performance in the finals. “The thing that angers me the most is not the push on the racetrack, but when he stopped in the corner. I ran behind him and blew the radiator and then he let (Allgaier) win the race. How stupid can you be?”
Creed described what happened at the end when Hill ran up behind him.
“I just ran through the fuel there and that was enough to get me,” Creed told NBC Sports. “I don’t know if I messed up too much, but I didn’t have the (Turn) 4 run that I thought I was going to have.”
Creed understood Hill’s frustrations.
“Austin is going to be crazy tonight,” Creed said. “He is a runner. They will see play again. I took him off the floor but that was fair, I thought, compared to what we had seen before. … I feel like I played fair. Of course, I could have blocked him and made sure he got in, but we’re all in this race and my guys deserve my 100%.
Hill said he wanted to talk to Creed.
“I don’t know where he is, but I’m going to talk to him,” Hill said. “It may not be today, but I will talk to him.”
Although Hill declined to say what he would say to Creed, his comments seemed to make sense.
“Disappointing,” Hill said. “I feel like I sent him away very respectfully.” I didn’t get it in return. I can’t wait for next year’s ride with Jesse Love (who enters the No. 2 Xfinity car). We hope to work together. “