For weeks, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill was the clear favorite heading into the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona.
Harrison Burton? A contender. Sheldon Creed? A threat.
But Jesse Love? Hardly anyone had him on their radar.
And yet, when the checkered flag flew, it was the 20-year-old ARCA Menards Series champion standing tall in Victory Lane—having navigated the carnage, dodged disaster, and seized his first career Xfinity win in breathtaking fashion.
Was it pure superspeedway mastery? Or just another case of Daytona delivering the unexpected?
Let’s break it down.
From 9th to Victory Lane—Jesse Love’s Unbelievable Path to Daytona Glory
Jesse Love rolled off 9th at the start, but from the moment the green flag waved, he looked like he belonged up front.
- Led three times for 30 laps, proving he could control the draft.
- Survived a lap 119 wreck that took out nine cars.
- Outdueled Sheldon Creed on three separate restarts in the closing laps.
And when chaos erupted just as he was about to take the white flag, NASCAR ruled he had already crossed the line—giving him the win under caution.
For Love, the emotions were overwhelming.
“I am so out of breath. Oh my gosh, my breath. Man, just so thankful that the good Lord above put me in this position,” he gasped after climbing from his No. 2 Chevrolet.
But let’s be honest—he needed more than divine intervention to survive this one.
The Wrecks: Did Love Win It? Or Just Avoid Disaster?
To say this race was chaotic would be an understatement.
- Lap 5: Love triggered an early crash after bumping Brandon Jones, collecting Connor Zilisch, Harrison Burton, Brennan Poole, and best friend Daniel Dye.
- Lap 119: A nine-car pileup set up a series of overtime restarts.
- Final Restart: Justin Allgaier and Taylor Gray collided, sparking a chain reaction wreck behind them.
When the final crash unfolded, Love was just inches from the white flag.
“It very easily could have been my fault,” Love said of the lap 5 incident. “If it was, then I apologize to the 20 because obviously I don’t want to be that guy that starts wrecks.”
“Daniel [Dye] will probably yell at me when we get home anyway.”
That’s superspeedway racing at its finest—one moment, you’re the villain, the next, you’re the victor.
A Statement Win for a Rising Star
While some will say this was just another wild Daytona lottery, the reality is Jesse Love earned this win.
- He kept himself in position all race long.
- He won the battle on multiple restarts.
- And when the moment arrived, he didn’t flinch.
Richard Childress Racing knew they had a future star on their hands.
Now, the rest of NASCAR knows it too.
“A really big win for Jesse Love,” RCR said in their post-race statement. “We’re proud of how he handled the pressure and delivered for the team.”
And if this is just the beginning?
Jesse Love’s Xfinity rivals better take notice—because this kid isn’t done winning.
