Sheldon Creed / No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra Preview – Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway

No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:

  • CREED AT PORTLAND: Sheldon Creed and the No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Toyota GR Supra crew head out west to Portland International Raceway this weekend for the Pacific Office Automation 147. Creed is the defending Xfinity Series pole winner at Portland, where he scored his only career pole last June before finishing the race in seventh place. In addition to the pole, Creed drove one of his best races in his Xfinity Series career as he led 47 laps and contended for the win for most of the day, even after getting spun out mid-race. With just two starts at the track, Creed’s other finish is 32nd, which came from a race-ending wreck on lap 55 in 2022. In total, Creed has one top-10, 48 laps led, and one pole in his two starts at Portland International Raceway heading into this weekend. It is worth noting Portland is second to only Atlanta Motor Speedway (55) for Creed’s career-most laps led at a single track.
  • CHARLOTTE RECAP: Creed’s day in Charlotte was cut short by brake rotor problems on lap 119 of 200, leaving the team to finish 36th on the day with their second DNF of the season. The result is not indicative of the performance as Creed battled hard all day, working himself up from as low as 21st in the race to eventually leading nine laps and scoring a fifth-place finish in Stage Two.
  • TALE OF TWO SEASONS: Despite some disappointing results this year, Sheldon Creed’s worst finish when not inhibited by team penalties or mechanical failures is ninth. With a loose wheel in Las Vegas, an alternator failure in Circuit of the Americas, brake rotor issues in Richmond and Charlotte, and a pit road safety violation in Texas, Creed’s speed has been overshadowed by mishaps and bad fortune. Even in races like Phoenix (sent to the back for unapproved repairs) and Talladega (involved in late-race caution), Creed has found a way to rebound and rally the team to strong finishes. That said, the silver lining is bright as in the races without adversity, he has scored four top-fives and seven top-10s, thus displaying what the team is capable of when performing at their full potential.
  • FRIENDS OF JACLYN FOUNDATION: Founded in 2005, the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with a mission to improve the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers while raising awareness for said diseases. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for children and their families battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with local teams, clubs, and community groups. FOJ has currently made over 1000 adoptions and their mission is to continue to raise awareness through our Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines, and Guardian Angel Programs.
  • ON THE PITBOX:Crew chief Sam McAulay will lead the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra crew this season. Despite his rookie status, McAulay is an established mind at JGR as he joined the organization in 2007 and worked his way up the ranks from intern to lead race engineer for the No. 11 Cup Series entry of Denny Hamlin. Since the start of his tenure on the No. 11 in 2017, McAulay has contributed to 25 victories, including three Daytona 500 wins and a Coke 600 win as a crew chief when he filled-in for the suspended Chris Gabehart in 2022.
  • JGR AT PORTLAND: Joe Gibbs Racing has never won at Portland International Raceway. In the two years of racing there, the team’s best finish was set by Myatt Snider last year with his sixth-place finish. In total, JGR has three top-10s and 44 laps led in six collective starts in Portland.
  • FOLLOW ALONG:Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Creed’s 2024 season.

X:@sheldoncreedI Facebook: Sheldon CreedI Instagram:@Sheldoncreed I Website: sheldoncreedracing.com I YouTube: Sheldon Creed

  • RACE INFO: Coverage of this weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway is scheduled for Saturday, June 1st at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Sheldon Creed, Driver of the No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra:

“You ran especially well in Portland last year. How will that translate going into this weekend?

“I felt really comfortable here last year and ran up front for most of the day which was great. Being with a different team and all, a lot will depend on how it feels in practice, but I like how this place fits my style and skillset. Sam (McAulay) and I have only ran one road course together so far, but I thought we were really fast if it wasn’t for early troubles that day. I think if we can execute we can contend for a top-five on Saturday.”

JGR PR