NASCAR Champion sets sights on Max Verstappen’s territory at the cost of the iconic oval slot

NASCAR's famous ovals and superspeedways have always been its identity. But as the sport is trying to grow internationally, that effect is also seen in the drivers of today. One Truck champion isn’t scared to think outside the box, even if it means sacrificing a piece of history in the process.In a recent interview with Barstool Racing, Sheldon Creed, the 2020 Truck Series champion, was asked about his decisions surrounding a track he wanted to remove from the calendar and add one in its place. While the majority of the drivers stick to America, Creed took a step further.“I think I could add one anywhere in the country or anywhere in the world. Maybe like Red Bull Ring or Abu Dhabi,” said Creed, as he chose the renowned F1 tracks in Austria and the United Arab Emirates.

“Road course or something. Out of the box, that we haven’t done. I would take Fontana back any day of the week.”

Sheldon Creed challenges NASCAR’s road course

As Creed sets his focus on Red Bull Ring, Max Verstappen’s home track, he is prepared to trade it for the sport’s tradition, saying, “But then if I’m going to take one away, I’m going to take away one of the super speedways because we do six now a year.”Six is too much for Creed, but he's not against them. Adding a road course adds more variety to the schedule and is more reliant on driver control.

But he did choose one to eliminate.Creed stated, “I don’t have a track that I hate. Maybe Portland. The problem with Portland is that the fans are actually great.”Creed talked about Portland International Raceway, a racetrack renowned for its open-wheel racing and close-quarter finishes. Over the past decades, the PIR has hosted ARCA Menards, IndyCar, Formula E, NASCAR Xfinity, and Truck Series races.The fact that Creed is now doesn't seem to have any problems with any kind of track, given he recently broke the deadlock and won the first-ever O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win of his career.

Sheldon Creed writes history following Atlanta's victory

Creed’s first victory in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Atlanta last week was not just his win but also his team, Haas Factory's, second win in the series.“I’ve been a loser the last couple of years, and I kept showing up,” Creed stated to CW Sports after his victory. “It’s not how you draw it up when you’re a Truck Champion.”The winner of the Truck Series, Creed, had finished as a runner-up in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 15 times prior to his victory at the EchoPark Speedway. For him to win the series, he escaped Parker Retzlaff and Nicholas Sanchez.