“From the moment I started watching Jesse race, I knew that he had the talent,” said Richard Childress about his young gun Jesse Love. Giving him the chance to race in the Cup car at Bristol, RCR was setting up the foundation of a possible successor to Kyle Busch, and Childress seemed confident. “He has the passion for wanting to win and doing the best possible for his team,” the team owner added.

And the driver was looking forward to it. Ahead of the race, he said, “Yeah, it’s one of the better racetracks for me… kind of more my wheelhouse. I don’t really enjoy the flat track stuff a whole lot. I really enjoy the tracks with a lot of banking, a lot of grip, moving around, running the wall, getting on the top, bottom, the middle… kind of wherever there’s grip and a clean racetrack. I like to search around, and I can do that here.” 

However, things wouldn’t turn out so well for the young driver. He finished in 31st position, despite starting in 19th, as the driver, along with the rest of the field struggled to pass other drivers. He’s not letting it dampen his spirits. Love’s declared desire to compete in additional Cup races demonstrates his determination and the faith the teams have in his abilities. 

Beard Motorsports, a team well recognized for its strategic entries into the Cup Series, has signed Love to drive their Chevrolet No. 62, which will appear in some of the next races at Texas Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a large expansion for Beard Motorsports, for which superspeedways have long fit into the scope of operations. “Making my Cup Series debut last week at Bristol was a moment that I had been working towards my entire life,” Love shared. “Thanks to the Beard family, I’ll have a chance to at least do it a couple more times this season. The goals are to keep collecting experience and learning the Cup car.“

Beard Motorsports’ decision to have Love participate in these races is an endorsement of the belief in the driver getting a suitable experience during the season. “We have been watching Jesse Love in his racing endeavors and have certainly been impressed with what he has been doing,” said Amie Beard-Deja, executive vice president of the team.

As for the races he will take part in, Texas and Indianapolis, he explained, “Both races at Texas and Indy will allow me to gain knowledge of how this car races at different tracks, which will hopefully set me up to pounce on future opportunities. Even though they’re a small, family-owned team, the Beards have built a legacy of bringing fast and well-prepared racecars to the track. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do together.” 

Love’s upcoming races are not entries for his resume; they are key vital learning moments and exposure. At various racetracks such as Texas and Indianapolis, he will learn from different racing conditions, illuminating a vital area for any driver interested in full-time Cup Series competition.  As Love continues honing his skills and networking within NASCAR, these races have the potential to serve as prominent milestones in his development trajectory. If successful in these races, the opportunity could lead to more regular sessions at the highest level of stock car racing.

Rowdy is all praises for the young driver

Speaking of Love and making connections in the community, it seems he’s already won over Kyle Busch. After all, having the winningest driver in Truck Series and Xfinity be your mentor is no small deal. And Love recognises this. “It’d be dumb of me to not go ask some questions and pick his brain whenever I can,” Love said ahead of Bristol. “He’s [Kyle Busch’s] been helpful, for sure, and I always feel like Kyle’s been an open book. I will say Kyle’s probably the toughest competitor in the garage.” 

And it’s this inquisitive side that has won over Busch. Rowdy explained, “Ah, just that he picked up the phone and asked and called, you know? So, um, I think that’s the first thing, right? You know, a lot of drivers, they don’t do that anymore these days, you know? So, if you call, I’m willing to talk to you and help you and give you as much as you ask and, you know, and try to give you what you can to get you started and be ready to go when you get here.”

But that’s not all, Busch also dropped a small bit about how new drivers act coming into the sport. “I don’t know, man. I guess it’s just the way you’re raised, you know? I’ve seen a lot of young drivers come in and, you know, they’re just kind of wet behind the ears, maybe a little quiet, things like that, a little more reserved. But they all figure it out eventually and, you know, they feel they have their own star power.”