“It Scares Me,” Sheldon Creed Warns NASCAR Against EV Move in O’Reilly Series Asked about NASCAR executive John Probst’s comments that the sanctioning body is evaluating whether an electric crossover-style race vehicle could one day fit in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Sheldon Creed did not need a technical breakdown to explain his problem. Creed said the idea makes him uneasy because an EV would change the race-day product before NASCAR has shown that the second-tier series needs that kind of reset. That is the harder question inside NASCAR’s EV conversation. The prototype exists. The manufacturers have been involved. The technology is being studied. But the O’Reilly Series is not a dormant property looking for relevance. It just entered a new title-sponsor era with O’Reilly Auto Parts, remains tied to The CW’s exclusive broadcast package and was averaging 1.1 million viewers during the 2025 season, up 17% year over year, according to NASCAR’s announcement of the sponsorship change. Creed’s answer put a driver’s objection on the record. The series is improving with its current car count, current teams and current racing product. In his view, the risk is not whether NASCAR can build a fast electric race car. The risk is whether the sanctioning body would trade away too much of what makes the series work. Sheldon Creed Slams EV Hype, Citing O'Reilly Series' Explosive Viewership Growth Creed responded by defending the car NASCAR already has in the O’Reilly Series. “Ah, I love where our cars are at in the O’Reilly Series,” Creed said. “If I could pick the car, I’d go back to like 2022 when we had all the skew. But I still think our car is great. It puts on a great race, you can pass, you know, they're hard to drive, you're not wide open.” Creed was not asking for a major correction. He described the current car as raceable, difficult and capable of producing passing. Those are the same competitive qualities NASCAR usually tries to preserve when evaluating a platform change. Creed is also speaking from inside the series’ current competitive picture. He is the full-time driver of the No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet, and his 2026 season includes his first O’Reilly Series victory, which came at EchoPark Speedway. The O’Reilly Series also has fresh commercial footing. NASCAR announced O’Reilly Auto Parts as the title sponsor beginning Jan. 1, 2026, replacing Xfinity after an 11-year run. The deal made O’Reilly the fourth entitlement sponsor in the series’ history after Busch, Nationwide and Xfinity. Creed’s point was that NASCAR would be changing a product that already has evidence of health. The series has a new sponsor, a defined broadcast home, rising viewership and a garage that he believes is getting deeper. Creed Exposes the 'Boring' Truth About EV That Threatens the Fan Experience Creed Exposes the 'Boring' Truth About EV That Threatens the Fan Experience Creed’s strongest criticism came from his experience watching electric rallycross. He said the cars did not create the same live impression as combustion-powered vehicles. “The EV thing, I think could be cool, but it scares me at the same time because it’s not loud,” Creed said. “You know, like I went to one of those Nitro Rallycross races in Vegas when we were there, and I’ve been to a few rallycross races over the years, like when they were, you know, turboed V6s or whatever was in them, and I was like, they were always cool. They're loud, you know, you can hear them.” He said the electric cars left a different impression. “And then yeah, the electric I thought was super boring,” Creed said. “Like I didn't even know they went off the line until they got to turn one and I was like, ‘Oh.’ And then when it comes by it sounds like an RC car. You can just hear like the rocks kicking up.” Creed was not disputing whether electric race cars can accelerate. He was saying the absence of engine sound weakens the event as a spectator product. NASCAR’s own EV prototype shows why the debate is not about raw output. The ABB-backed prototype was developed with Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, uses three electric motors and produces about 1,340 horsepower. At its 2024 unveiling, NASCAR said it had no plans to launch an EV racing series. Creed’s concern sits outside that spec sheet. The number can be impressive and the show can still feel diminished to fans who associate NASCAR with engine sound, throttle response and trackside vibration. EV Push 'Will Take the Series Down' Despite Probst's Plans EV Push 'Will Take the Series Down' Despite Probst's Plans The EV discussion became more pointed after Probst identified the O’Reilly Series as a possible future landing spot. Probst said NASCAR is evaluating whether its crossover utility vehicle EV could one day be used in the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series to give that division a clearer brand identity. According to reports, NASCAR is also planning to experiment with a hydrogen combustion engine within the next five years. That changed the nature of the conversation. The question is no longer only whether NASCAR should explore EV technology. NASCAR already has. ABB and NASCAR revealed the prototype at the 2024 Chicago Street Race as part of an electrification partnership tied to NASCAR’s sustainability goals. The question is whether the O’Reilly Series should be the place where that technology becomes a race product. Creed pushed directly against that idea.“So I think it would be boring and I think it would be. I think it would take the series down, in my honest opinion,” Creed said. “But I don't make those decisions and I want to see this series, you know, live and it keeps getting better.” Creed tied his objection to the health of the series itself. He said he wants the division to keep growing, then argued that electric cars could move it in the opposite direction. Creed did not stop at sound. He also pointed to the O’Reilly garage and said the series has more competitive structure than it has had in recent years. “We have like 24 affiliated cars this year, you know, with Jordan Anderson being part of RCR now and Viking and these teams,” Creed said. “There's a lot of good cars, or at least they're getting good information. So I think the series keeps getting better.” That was the most concrete competitive argument in his answer. He was not only saying EVs might be less entertaining. He was saying the current series is already moving in the right direction because more teams are connected to stronger technical pipelines. Creed also said he would like to see RFK Racing or Team Penske return to the series and noted that Hendrick Motorsports is back full-time.
