Sheldon Creed suffers yet another runner-up finish at Watkins Glen

Make that 95 races with no NASCAR Xfinity Collection win for Sheldon Creed. 

The 26-year-old notched his twelfth runner-up end on Saturday at Watkins Glen, extending his personal collection document for essentially the most second-place finishes with no victory.

As Connor Zilisch drove into the New York sundown to win in his Xfinity Collection debut, Creed was in a dogfight for the runner-up spot with AJ Allmendinger, Shane van Gisbergen and Chandler Smith. As Zilisch — who was very low on gas — pulled away, it was all Creed may do to observe because the warning flag got here out on the ultimate lap, ending the race. 

Creed had the perfect gas scenario of any driver within the high 5 on the race’s last restart, however Saturday’s outcomes will simply be one other instance of the Alpine, Calif., native questioning what may’ve been. 

Creed’s 12 top-five finishes are essentially the most of any Xfinity Collection driver, and his 16 top-10s rank second behind defending champion Cole Custer. When it comes to consistency, there’s been no one higher than Creed in 2024, however that elusive first win continues to evade him. 

Eight races stay in Creed’s tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing earlier than he joins the Haas Manufacturing unit Group in 2025, and with Creed formally locked into the playoffs after Watkins Glen, the seven-race postseason stretch will supply him the chance to earn his first win in a giant second. 

If historical past is any indication, nonetheless, Creed’s look forward to a win could also be prolonged into 2025.