“We are changing our culture at RCR, we’re winners, we know we are,” said a breathless Jesse Love as he conquered Daytona International Speedway. The United Rentals 300 just came to a halt and while the race might have seemed to have finished at yellow, Jesse Love left no stone unturned to claim the top spot. Sam Mayer, Carson Kvapil, and Jordan Anderson followed Love and rounded off the Top 5 standings. 

Love conquers Valentine’s weekend

Jesse Love navigated a tense overtime restart to clinch victory at the United Rentals 300. As the field approached the white flag, Love fended off challenges from Taylor Gray, Sheldon Creed, and others. Moments later, a multi-car crash triggered a caution, securing his win under yellow. With his season-opening victory, Jesse Love has secured his spot in the playoffs. 

Speaking of the same, the RCR driver said, “I am so out of breath…. Just thankful to the good lord for this position. So many people have helped me to get to this point… Bummer what happened to the 21, I am not sure what happened but he was really dominant tonight… we all want to win a championship for Richard Childress.”

However, luck didn’t quite favor his teammate—Austin Hill’s bid for a fourth straight Xfinity Series season opener victory at Daytona. A mechanical failure cut it short. After leading 56 laps, he was forced to take his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to the garage. This ended with ultimately settling for a 33rd-place finish.

While it was unclear for a few moments what happened towards the end of the race, Love had marked his winning move with an expensive burnout. He led 30 laps and ensured the overtime worked out in his favor. Jesse Love took the lead from the beginning of the final restart and never gave it up, sailing through to victory lane.

Love was quite emotional throughout the interview session and he said, “I’m at a loss for words. It’s Daytona. I always cry here when they do the National Anthem. I’m star-struck.” Jesse Love may be earning a reputation as a superspeedway specialist. However, the label doesn’t quite capture the full scope of his talent.

The Richard Childress Racing driver, who just turned 20 last month, now boasts two Xfinity Series wins in 34 career starts. Both came on high-speed, pack-racing tracks like Talladega and, most recently, Daytona. However, his versatility behind the wheel speaks volumes. Just two years ago, Love dominated the 2023 ARCA season, winning 10 of 20 races across a wide range of tracks, from dirt ovals and road courses to intermediates and superspeedways, en route to the Championship.

Love also revealed the advice he got from a veteran driver before the Daytona race that helped him keep his cool during the last lap wreckage.

Trending

1

“I’d Have Smacked Him”: NASCAR Veteran Sends a Strong Message to Defend Dale Earnhardt Jr. Against Fans’ Hate

2

Roger Penske’s Final Hopes Slipping Away as NASCAR Fans Prepare for Honda

3

Richard Petty Calls for NASCAR to Return to Its Roots Amid Fans Growing Resentment

4

Bubba Wallace Proposes a Bold Solution to End NASCAR’s Hypocrisy on Dangerous Daytona Finish

5

Rick Hendrick Accused of ‘Burying’ Ross Chastain’s Real Persona as Fans Insinuate Trackhouse’s Exit From Chevy

A massive crash erupted just behind Jesse Love

As the white flag came down for Jesse Love, following it was a yellow caution flag. Justin Allgaier made contact with Taylor Gray while battling for sixth, setting off the race’s final caution. The bump unsettled Allgaier’s car, causing him to veer into Jordan Anderson’s No. 32 Chevrolet. What followed was a chaotic scene of sparks, smoke, and torn body panels as multiple cars were caught in the aftermath.

However, Love was extremely calm throughout the drive. Speaking of how he achieved this level of Zen, the Daytona 2025 winner said in an interview with Frontstretch, “Josh Wise changed my life the other week helping me compartmentalize my mind, and it’s easy to because the green-white-checkered suck. I take a lot of what Josh Wise says to heart and I kind of tapped into the mindset of no fear, no emotion, and no, I guess, anxiety. Just straight will to succeed and will to win.”

Josh Wise is a former NASCAR driver, better known for his sprint car excellence, clinching the 2005 USAC National Midget Series Championship and the 2006 USAC National Sprint Car Series Championship. He currently works with the driver development group at Pinnacle Racing, who compete in the ARCA Menards Series. Love, being a former ARCA champion, took valuable advice from Wise to keep his composure in a dramatic race.

Love’s ability to block out the chaos behind him and stay locked into the moment proved to be just as crucial as his raw speed in securing the biggest win of his young career.