CONCORD, N.C.: Whelen Engineering was announced Saturday afternoon as the new primary sponsor for Sheldon Creed’s NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie campaign at Richard Childress Racing.
Whelen Engineering which designs and manufactures audio and visual warning equipment for automotive, aviation, and mass notification industries worldwide will serve as Creed’s first full-season partner since he joined the NASCAR ranks in 2016.
“Whelen Engineering takes pride in our long-standing involvement in motorsports,” said Peter Tiezzi, III, General Manager of Motorsports and Project Manager for Whelen Engineering Company, Inc.
“We know that our relationship with an iconic team in Richard Childress Racing and a young, talented racer in Sheldon Creed illustrates our commitment to auto racing, while simultaneously increasing the public’s awareness of our presence and capabilities.”
Creed, the 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion was tabbed to drive for Richard Childress Racing last month. He is continuing his fight to defend his Truck Series title when the series resumes action at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Sat., Oct. 30.
The Alpine, California native grew up competing in short course off road racing, winning championships in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and Stadium Super Trucks. He has earned championships in the Trucks and the ARCA Menards Series (2018).
Creed, 24, a current eight-time winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will graduate from the series following the season-finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway next month and move to Richard Childress Racing’s flagship car for 2022.
The season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February will be his fourth series start but first for the Welcome, N.C.-based team.
“Whelen is a name synonymous with motorsports, so it is truly an honor to represent them as I start my first year of fulltime competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said Creed. “I’m going to do my best to make Whelen Engineering, its employees and the entire Whelen community proud, and I’m looking forward to doing so with a competitive team like RCR.”
Whelen Engineering is known throughout the world for its powerful, reliable warning lights and scene illumination solutions, sirens, and control systems for first responders and emergency services as well as aviation and mass notification industries, all of which are manufactured in America.
“Whelen Engineering is a world-class brand that continues to innovate and maintains the same passion and dedication to technology and performance as RCR,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR.
“We’re looking forward to many on and off-track successes together, and I know that Sheldon will do a great job representing the Whelen brand.”
Richard Childress Racing also announced Saturday that current No. 2 driver Myatt Snider will remain part of RCR | GM Racing’s development program next season.
Childress later told reporters, if Snider does not return to RCR, he could land somewhere with RCR ties.
“We’re working to try and help him get a program put together,” said Childress. “I hope – it’s hard to say until you get it all on paper, but we’re working to try and get him tied in with one of our alliances.”
Specific 2022 plans for Snider will be announced at a later date.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
