Sheldon Creed snags first career victory in Atlanta thriller: Incredible. That’s how Sheldon Creed described his first career victory in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and that’s likely how anyone who watched the Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 would describe the final dramatic run to the checkered flag Saturday evening at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.(Read more)(2-21-2026)

After 15 runner-up finishes in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, #00-Sheldon Creed finally reached Victory Lane, winning the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at EchoPark Speedway. Creed made a last-lap pass, after #32-Ross Chastain tagged #21-Austin Hill while battling for the lead entering Turn 3 on the final lap.
#99-Parker Retzlaff tied his best career finish in second, a new personal best for Viking Motorsports. #25-Nick Sanchez placed third, and has top five finishes in all three of his starts in Atlanta. #17-Corey Day rallied to finish fourth, despite being the focal point of multiple on-track incidents. Reining series champion #2-Jesse Love rounded out the top five.
#32-Chastain, polesitter #41-Sam Mayer (rebounded from being three laps down in the opening stage), #88-Rajah Caruth, #54-Taylor Gray and #20-Brandon Jones complete the top 10.
#2-Love and #88-Caruth both picked up their first stage wins of the season in the opening two stages.
There were 24 lead changes among 11 drivers and seven cautions for 46 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 105.508 mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Atlanta Paint Schemes

Race Fast Facts – EchoPark Speedway:
Sheldon Creed won the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250, his first victory in 138 O’Reilly Series races.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2026.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in nine races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Parker Retzlaff (second) posted his second top-10 finish in seven races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is his first top-10 finish in 2026.
Nick Sanchez (third) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Patrick Staropoli (13th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Austin Hill leads the point standings by 22 points over Rajah Caruth.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings after Atlanta (Race 2 of 33):
1)#21-Austin Hill 104, +61
2)#88-Rajah Caruth 82, +39
3)#00-Sheldon Creed 80, +37
4)#2-Jesse Love 80, +37
5)#99-Parker Retzlaff 74, +31
6)#7-Justin Allgaier 69, +26
7)#1-Carson Kvapil 64, +21
8)#17-Corey Day 50, +7
9)#8-Sammy Smith 48, +5
10)#02-Ryan Ellis 46, +3
11)#54-Taylor Gray 44, +1
12)#44-Brennan Poole 43, +0
Currently below cutline
13)#48-Patrick Staropoli 43, -0
14)#07-Josh Bilicki 42, -1
15)#25-Nick Sanchez 41, -2
16)#20-Brandon Jones 41, -2
See the Driver Points Standings and Owner Points Standings.

Race Updates:
Lap 162: #32-Chastain tags #21-Hill entering Turns 3 and 4, allowing #00-Creed to sneak by for the victory, his first career victory in 138 series starts. #99-Retzlaff, #25-Sanchez, #17-Day, #2-Love, #32-Chastain, #41-Mayer, #88-Caruth, #54-Gray and #20-Jones complete the unofficial top 10.
Lap 161: #21-Hill drives deep into Turn 3 and 4 to take the lead from #32-Chastain.
Lap 160: #2-Love gets to the outside of #25-Sanchez to take the runner-up spot. #21-Hill is side-by-side with #00-Creed making a rally on the outside.
Lap 159: #25-Sanchez goes through the middle with help from #41-Mayer. #32-Chastain leads #00-Creed.
Lap 158: #32-Chastain clears for the lead on the backstretch, with #21-Hill and #00-Creed leading the lines behind him.
Lap 153: The red flag is out for track cleanup. #32-Chastain leads #00-Creed, #21-Hill, #2-Love, #20-Jones, #27-Burton, #25-Sanchez, #99-Retzlaff, #41-Mayer and #17-Day.
Lap 151: #88-Caruth gets loose on the backstretch with a flat tire, #41-Mayer tags #92-Williams, who clobbers the outside wall to bring out the caution.
Lap 149: #31-Hill Gets pushed to the lead by #2-Love on the inside line. #32-Chastain leads the outside line with help from #00-Creed and #20-Jones.
Lap 141: Big wreck in the middle of the field. #8-Smith blew a right-rear tire entering Turn 1, triggering the pileup. #54-Gray, #18-Sawalich, #45-Scott, #02-Ellis, #44-Poole, #19-Ruggiero, #42-Leitz and #91-Maggio all get collected.
Lap 138: The front row is three-wide for the lead, with #32-Chastain taking command. #00-Creed drops to second. #21-Hill drops to fifth. #88-Caruth gets into the outside wall, but saves his car for 10th position.
Lap 136: #2-Love darts to the bottom of #21-Hill entering Turns 1 and 2, but doesn’t clear and tags the left rear of Hill down the backstretch, allowing #00-Creed to take the race lead.
Lap 132: #2-Love drives by #00-Creed to take the runner-up spot behind his Richard Childress Racing teammate #21-Hill.
Lap 131: The bottom gets disconnected on the restart, allowing #21-Hill and #00-Creed to drive away in the top two positions.
Lap 125: Caution is out for debris on the frontstretch from #30-Ware. #17-Day will get the free pass in 26th position.
Lap 121: No runs are developing on the inside line, with #2-Love getting in line in fourth position. #21-Hill leads #00-Creed, #8-Smith, Love and #25-Sanchez are the top five. #51-Clements spins on the backstretch but doesn’t necessitate a caution.
Lap 116: #2-Love drops to lead the bottom line and is making progress. He is up to third after falling back to 10th.
Lap 112: #21-Hill retains the lead on the restart, with #00-Creed and #8-Smith in pursuit. #18-Sawalich and #2-Love jump to the outside, moving #99-Retzlaff to the first car on the inside line.
Lap 105: #17-Day doesn’t get down the track entering Turn 3 and gets into the left rear of #1-Kvapil while battling for the lead. Both cars, along with #7-Allgaier, smack the outside wall to bring out the caution.
Lap 103: #21-Hill continues moving forward, up to fourth position.
Lap 100: #1-Kvapil gets a push to the lead from the inside line. #7-Allgaier and #17-Day follow through. #18-Sawalich is battling #00-Creed for fourth position.
Lap 94: #18-Sawalich takes two tires to be the first car off pit road. #99-Retzlaff is second, with #1-Kvapil, #7-Allgaier and #17-Day rounding out the top five.
Lap 90: #88-Caruth wins Stage 2, his first career stage victory. #7-Allgaier, #1-Kvapil, #17-Day, #20-Jones, #8-Smith, #21-Hill, #99-Retzlaff, #00-Creed and #2-Love earn stage points.
Lap 85: #8-Smith drops to the bottom, trying to advance his position from sixth place. The first six cars are all powered by Hendrick engines.
Lap 79: #00-Creed washes up the track and drops to fifth, losing spots to #7-Allgaier, #17-Day and #1-Kvapil, as they get single-file against the wall.
Lap 74: #19-Ruggiero cuts a right-front tire and heads to pit road for an unscheduled pit stop.
Lap 72: #7-Allgaier dips to the inside of #00-Creed to take the race lead. #88-Caruth makes a slingshot move to the bottom and clears both Allgaier and Creed.
Lap 68: The top line remains dominant, though #2-Love, #8-Smith, #19-Ruggiero and #20-Jones are lined up on the inside.
Lap 64: #00-Creed passes #2-Love to take the lead. #7-Allgaier and #88-Caruth fill the outside line, with Love dropping back to fourth position.
Lap 62: The inside line is breaking up with the top lane being dominant. #17-Day and #25-Sanchez are the only cars on the bottom.
Lap 60: #27-Burton makes contact with #8-Smith through the tri-oval and gets sideways.
Lap 55: #2-Love keeps the lead on the restart with a shove from #7-Allgaier. #00-Creed leads the inside line.
Lap 50: #2-Love keeps the lead off pit road. #54-Gray, #7-Allgaier, #00-Creed and #88-Caruth are the top five. Gray struck one of his crew members on pit road and will have to restart at the rear of the field for a tire violation.
Lap 45: #2-Love wins Stage 1, his first stage victory of the season. #88-Caruth, #99-Retzlaff, #54-Gray, #7-Allgaier, #00-Creed, #1-Kvapil, #25-Sanchez, #51-Clements and #32-Chastain earn stage points.
Lap 42: #88-Caruth drops to the bottom and gets next to #2-Love for the race lead before falling back to third.
Lap 36: #21-Hill got loose through Turns 3 and 4 when #7-Allgaier moved to his outside. He believes he might have a tire going down and has dropped to 17th.
Lap 34: #99-Retzlaff splits the middle of #00-Creed and #88-Caruth to take the runner-up position. #2-Love leads the pack.
Lap 30: #26-Thompson pits for a flat right-front tire.
Lap 29: #88-Caruth is battling for the lead with #2-Love, who got a shove from #21-Hill. #99-Retzlaff is battling inside the top five.
Lap 26: #00-Creed drops in front of #2-Love and #21-Hill to take the lead. #41-Mayer has a flat left-front tire after earlier contact.
Lap 24: #96-Alfredo makes an unscheduled pit stop with a flat right-rear tire.
Lap 22: The majority of the field has singled out around the top lane. #1-Kvapil is hung out on the bottom lane and has dropped outside the top 10.
Lap 19: #41-Mayer clears for the lead, with #00-Creed and #88-Caruth behind. #54-Gray and #1-Kvapil are battling for fourth position.
Lap 16: #54-Gray and #41-Mayer remain side-by-side for the lead with #00-Creed and #1-Kvapil in the second lane. #2-Love and #88-Caruth complete the third row. #21-Hill has cracked the top 10.
Lap 13: #54-Gray and #41-Mayer make contact through the tri-oval, causing a left-front tire rub on Mayer’s car.
Lap 5: #17-Day got into the rear of #39-Sieg through the tri-oval, ricocheting off the wall. #24-Burton, #31-Perkins and #28-Sieg all pile in and receive heavy damage. #48-Staropoli bounced off the wall, slowing up to miss the melee.
Lap 3: The Haas Factory Teammates of #41-Mayer and #00-Creed have cleared the field.
Lap 1: The bottom line gets connected at the start, but #41-Mayer leads the opening lap with help form #00-Creed. In the first lap #21-Hill gained six spots to 14th.

Cars to the rear: #7-Justin Allgaier, #27-Jeb Burton, #32-Ross Chastain, #51-Jeremy Clements (all unapproved adjustments).

Race Info:
Broadcast: CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 163 laps / 251.02 miles
Stages: 30 / 60 / 120
Average time of race: 2:20:28
Pit road speed: Sections 1 and 2: 90 mph / Other sections: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
Fuel Window: 75 laps

Pit-Stall Selections

At a speed of 174.318 mph, #41-Sam Mayer won the pole for the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at EchoPark Speedway. It’s his first pole at Atlanta and first at a drafting-style venue.
#1-Carson Kvapil matched the best qualifying effort of his career in second (173.875 mph). #54-Taylor Gray led the way for Joe Gibbs Racing in third (173.766 mph), with #00-Sheldon Creed (173.760 mph) and #18-William Sawalich (173.646 mph) rounding out the top five.
#88-Rajah Caruth, #19-Gio Ruggiero, #8-Sammy Smith, #17-Corey Day and #2-Jesse Love complete the top 10. Daytona winner and five-time Atlanta victor #21-Austin Hill qualified in 20th position.
Did Not Qualify: #74-Dawson Cram.
See the complete Atlanta Starting Lineup and Qualifying Results.

Qualifying Fast Facts — EchoPark Speedway:
Sam Mayer won the Pole Award for the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 with a lap of 31.804 seconds, 174.318 mph.
This is his fifth pole in 151 NASCAR O’Reilly Series races.
This is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2026.
This is his first pole in ten races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Carson Kvapil (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2026 and his second in three races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Taylor Gray (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is his second in two races this season.
Patrick Staropoli (14th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

Qualifying Order

There is no practice for the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at EchoPark Speedway.

Crew Rosters

Goodyear Tire Notes: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams will run the same Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setups as they have at this track since 2022.

There are 39 drivers/teams on the entry list for the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at EchoPark Speedway. One car will miss the race.
Notables: #5-Luke Fenhaus, #19-Gio Ruggiero, #30-Carson Ware, #32-Ross Chastain, #35-Joey Gase, #42-Nick Leitz, #55-Chad Finchum, #74-Dawson Cram, #91-Mason Maggio.
See the full Atlanta Entry List.

Atlanta At-Track Schedule

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Race rules and information: (Will be updated for 2026 as needed).

• Inspection Penalty Protocol
• Pit Road Penalties
• Pit Road Speeds
• Points Explanation
• Qualifying Procedures