Ex-JGR driver crystal clear on his ‘seamless’ shift to $90M Tony Stewart’s former NASCAR ally

Ahead of the 2025 season, Tony Stewart and Gene Haas announced that Stewart-Haas Racing, founded in 2002, would be terminating its NASCAR operations. SHR sold off its charters, and the employees started looking for jobs elsewhere.

However, Gene Haas retained one of SHR’s charters and formed the Haas Factory Team. His dream was to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series. Haas hired Sheldon Creed as his #00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse's driver in 2025 and beyond. Tony Stewart, worth $90 million (as per Celebrity Net Worth), is not involved in any way; he currently races in the NHRA, filling in for his wife and top fuel driver Leah Pruett.

Before joining the Haas Factory Team, Creed had stints at Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing. When asked if switching to Haas Factory Team has been difficult at all, the 27-year-old driver said (via Speedway Digest):

"Honestly, it felt seamless. I felt like my transition from RCR to Gibbs was harder. They just did things a lot different, so that was a little more challenging, and then rolling into Haas Factory Team, I don't know…going back to my crew chief, he just made it super easy for me and he's super easy to get along.”

Creed is now eight races into the season. He is vying for his first win of 2025. Most recently, at the SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, he finished 37th and got handed his second DNF of the season. Hendrick Motorsports ace Kyle Larson won the event, leading a race-high 276 laps.

Next up for Sheldon Creed is the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway. Scheduled for Saturday, April 19, the 250-lap feature will air on CW from 4 pm ET onwards, with live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Tony Stewart’s NHRA team announces major partnership for 2025

In March, Tony Stewart Racing announced that it had extended its long-standing partnership with Dodge to a multi-year deal. Tony Stewart Racing fields two entries in the NHRA: one in Top Fuel and another in the Funny Car category.

This is what Matt McAlear, Chief Executive Officer at Dodge, said of the multi-year extension (via NHRA):

“Working with an elite, championship-caliber team like Tony Stewart Racing brings Dodge and Direct Connection to the forefront at each of the NHRA’s 20 national events, especially with legendary drivers like Tony Stewart and Matt Hagan behind the wheel of our Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel dragster and Funny Car, respectively.”

“As a result of this new multi-year partnership, our brand and our fans are looking forward to celebrating in the winner’s circle with Tony, Matt, Leah and the entire TSR organization for years to come,” McAlear added.

Dodge has been Stewart’s ally since 2022. Together, they amassed 16 NHRA national event wins and the 2023 NHRA Mission World Funny Car Championship.