NASCAR penalizes Xfinity Series driver Sheldon Creed for purposely wrecking Sammy Smith

NASCAR has penalized Xfinity Series driver Sheldon Creed for intentionally causing the Lap 69 accident during this past Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway.

NASCAR came to the determination after reviewing radio communications from the No. 2 team that Creed deliberately wrecked Sammy Smith, per Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. Creed has been docked 25 points in the Xfinity Series points standings, dropping him from seventh place to eighth place. Additionally, NASCAR levied a $25,000 fine against Creed.

“Following Saturday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway, NASCAR reviewed radio communications from the No. 2 team,” NASCAR said in a statement. “In NASCAR’s determination, that communication clearly resulted in the No. 2 car wrecking the No. 18 car on Lap 69, causing the seventh caution of the race.”

Pockrass added the penalty is similar to the one handed out to Denny Hamlin for dumping Ross Chastain last year at Phoenix. Hamlin lost 25 points and received a $50,000 fine — Cup Series fines being bigger due to the purses being bigger.

Creed, 25, is in his second full-time season driving the No. 2 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Creed is winless on the season, though he’s recorded 2 top 5s and 6 top 10s in 15 starts. He finished 14th in the points standings last season. Prior to moving up to the Xfinity Series, Creed shined in the Craftsman Truck Series behind the wheel of the No. 2 Chevrolet for GMS Racing. In 2020, he won five races en route to winning the Craftsman Truck Series championship. He raced his way to victory lane three times in 2021, finishing 5th in the points standings.

The post NASCAR penalizes Xfinity Series driver Sheldon Creed for purposely wrecking Sammy Smith appeared first on On3.