MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Car owner Richard Childress was blunt after seeing his drivers, Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill, battle for the win and a spot in next week’s Xfinity Series championship race before they made contact on the last lap and fail to advance.
“I’ve had drivers drive for me before but nobody as stupid as Sheldon Creed,” Childress told NBC Sports as he walked out of Martinsville Speedway after Saturday night’s Xfinity Series race.
“You don’t do that as a team player. What else do you want me to tell you?”
Asked if Creed — who will leave the team after this season — would be in the No. 2 car in next week’s season finale at Phoenix, Childress did not answer before getting in a golf cart and being led away from the track.
Told that Childress was not happy with him, Creed was asked by NBC Sports what he would say to his boss of the past two seasons.
“For Richard, I just want to thank him for my time here,” Creed said. “I’ve had a really good two years and I’ve learned a ton. My time has come to move on. I’ll forever be thankful for Richard. He was my first Xfinity opportunity out of Trucks.”
Video showed Andy Petree, vice president of competition for Richard Childress Racing, yelling at Creed on pit road after the race before walking away.
It all came down to the final lap Saturday.
As the leader before the overtime restart, Hill was in position to advance to the championship race. Creed, who was next to Hill on the front row, needed to win to advance.
Creed and Hill raced side-by-side on the backstretch on the final lap, making contact. Creed moved ahead in Turn 3 and struggled to get through Turn 4. Hill ran into the back of him and was hit from behind, sending him into the wall.
Justin Allgaier got beside Creed and edged him at the line to win and advance to the championship race. Hill saw his hopes to advance end when he failed to finish and placed 21st. Cole Custer, who finished 19th, secured the final transfer spot. Custer finished seven points ahead of Hill.
“I thought I was doing everything right for the most part,” Hill said of how he drove on the final lap. “The thing I’m more mad about is not really the shove up the racetrack, but when he parked it in the corner. I ran into the back of him and blew the radiator and then he lets (Allgaier) win the race. Like how dumb can you be?”
Creed explained what happened in the final corner when Hill ran into the back of him.
“I just kind of slipped through that oil there and that was enough for him to get me,” Creed told NBC Sports. “I don’t know if I just bogged it down too much, but I just didn’t have the speed off of (Turn) 4 that I thought I was going to have.”
Creed understood Hill’s frustrations.
“Austin’s going to be mad for tonight,” Creed said. “He’s a racer. He’s going to see the replay. I moved him off the bottom but then was very fair about it, I thought, compared to what we’ve seen in the past. … I feel like for the situation I played fair. Obviously, I could have been his blocker and made sure he got in, but we’re both racing for this and my guys deserve me to give 100%.”
Hill said he planned to talk to Creed.
“I don’t know where he’s at, but I’m going to talk to him,” Hill said. “It might not be today, but I’m going to talk to him.”
While Hill declined to say what he would tell Creed, his comments seemed clear.
“Just frustrating,” Hill said. “I really feel like I’ve raced him with a lot of respect. I just haven’t gotten it in return. I can’t wait for the next adventure next year with Jesse Love (who moves into the No. 2 Xfinity car). Hopefully, we work together.”