Jesshill Michael Gregory Love (born January 14, 2005) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing.
Love currently holds two records: He is the youngest winner ever in the ARCA Menards Series West, and the youngest winner ever in any NASCAR sanctioned event, both at 15 years, 5 months, and 13 days. He is also the youngest driver to win a NASCAR sanctioned championship; at age 15.[citation needed] He was also the ARCA Menards Series West champion for 2020 and 2021 and the ARCA Menards Series champion for 2023.
Racing career
edit
Early career
editLove began racing at age five. Early in his career, he drove in the Quarter Midgets of America Series, where he won multiple races and championships before turning ten years old. He then went on to win championships in three different divisions of USAC in the same year, becoming the first driver to accomplish that. At age 13, Love, competing for Naake-Klauer Motorsports, was granted an age waiver to compete in the RPM Pro Late Model Series by Madera Speedway track promoter Kenny Shepherd due to his talent in the 51Fifty Energy Drink Jr. Late Model Series the prior year (in which he won another championship). In 2018, Love drove full-time in the INEX Legend Car Racing Series, winning five of the eight races on the schedule en route to that series' championship. The other series he raced in that year were the BCRA Midget Series and the Hunt Magneto Sprint Car Series, both of whom Love had to apply for an age exception to participate in.[1] Love drove for Keith Kunz Motorsports in the SRL Southwest Tour, a late model racing series, in 2019.[2]
ARCA
editOn January 14, 2020, it was announced that Love would run full-time and for rookie of the year in the ARCA Menards Series West in the No. 19 Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing.[3] He replaced Hailie Deegan in that car, who left the McAnally team and Toyota's driver development program to join Ford's driver development program, running full-time in the 20-race ARCA Menards Series for DGR-Crosley.[4]
After finishing second in the season-opener at Las Vegas Bullring, Love won his first West Series race in the first of the two races in the doubleheader at the Utah Motorsports Campus road course on June 27. It was just his second start in the series.[5]
In addition, Love and his BMR teammates would compete in the ten races of the 20-race ARCA Menards Series' Sioux Chief Showdown. He made his debut in the first Showdown race at Phoenix Raceway on March 6. A few weeks earlier, Love and his teammates also made their debut in the ARCA Menards Series East at New Smyrna; Love finished twelfth.
Love finished the 2020 ARCA West season with 3 wins and 9 top 5 finishes in 11 races en route to the championship, beating out season-long rival Blaine Perkins. He became the youngest West Series champion at just 15 years, 9 months, and 24 days old.[6][7]
In 2021, Love returned to BMR for his second season in the West Series, and moved from the No. 19 to the No. 16, replacing Gio Scelzi with the team condensing from four full-time cars to two and the No. 19 car being closed down. He also returned to Venturini Motorsports for a nine-race schedule in the main ARCA Menards Series (including all three combination races with the ARCA Menards Series East) as well as one non-combination race in the East Series (at Dover). In both series, he drove the No. 25.[8] He earned his first career win of the season at Salem Speedway, outdueling Ty Gibbs in a restart with 46 laps to go.[9]
On January 3, 2022, it was announced that Love would return to Venturini Motorsports for the majority of the 2022 season, running all of the races where he was eligible.[10] During the season, he earned eight top fives twelve top tens. He would also earn his second career ARCA win at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack, leading every lap in a dominating fashion.[11]
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Love would be upgraded to a full-time schedule with Venturini Motorsports in the 2023 season.[12] That year, Love would have a breakout season, earning ten wins, eighteen top tens, and seventeen top fives. He would ultimately claim the 2023 ARCA Menards Series championship one race early at Salem, after simply taking the green flag.[13]
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
edit2023
editOn February 9, 2023, it was announced that Love would run three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races for Tricon Garage, driving their No. 1 truck.[14] At Gateway, Love made his debut in the No. 11 truck due to the original driver, Corey Heim, having an illness. Toni Breidinger would drive the 1 truck for that race. Love would end up finishing in the top ten in 9th. He made his second start of the season at Kansas, finishing 13th.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
edit
2024
editOn October 25, 2023, it was announced that Love would drive full-time for Richard Childress Racing in the No. 2 Chevrolet in 2024, replacing Sheldon Creed.[15][16] He began the season by winning the pole in his first career start at Daytona.[17] He won the first stage and led a race-high 34 laps, before getting involved in a wreck during stage two. He went on to finish the race in 20th. The following week at Atlanta, Love once again won the pole and went on to have a blistering performance, sweeping both stages and leading 157 of the 163 scheduled laps.[18] The race went into overtime after multiple drivers ran out of fuel with two laps to go. Love sputtered his fuel tank on the final restart, and ultimately fell back to finish 12th.[19][20] At Phoenix, he had another solid run, and earned a career best 2nd place finish, only behind race winner Chandler Smith.[21] The following four weeks, he continued a streak of top 10 finishes, including his third career pole at Texas.[22] At Talladega, Love scored his first career win, holding off the field on an overtime restart.[23]
Personal life
editLove is the son of Elizabeth and Jesshill Love. Jesshill raced midget cars in his youth[24] and is a real estate investor and lawyer. Jesshill is the CEO of three real estate portfolios in California, former president of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, and the CEO of HomeSmiles, a property maintenance company that supports Jesse's racing endeavors.[25][26][27]
Motorsports career results
editNASCAR
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Xfinity Series
edit| NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2024 | Richard Childress Racing | 2 | Chevy | DAY 20* |
ATL 12* |
LVS 17 |
PHO 2 |
COA 6 |
RCH 5 |
MAR 9 |
TEX 9 |
TAL 1 |
DOV 24 |
DAR 8 |
CLT 28 |
PIR 19 |
SON 12 |
IOW 31 |
NHA 13 |
NSH 3 |
CSC 5 |
POC 22 |
IND 13 |
MCH 29 |
DAY 21 |
DAR 6 |
ATL 6 |
GLN 8 |
BRI 4 |
KAN 9 |
TAL 6* |
ROV 19 |
LVS 6 |
HOM 4 |
MAR 12 |
PHO 6 |
8th | 2247 | [28] | ||
| 2025 | DAY | ATL | COA | PHO | LVS | HOM | MAR | DAR | BRI | CAR | TAL | TEX | CLT | NSH | MXC | POC | ATL | CSC | SON | DOV | IND | IOW | GLN | DAY | PIR | GTW | BRI | KAN | ROV | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO | -* | -* | ||||||
Craftsman Truck Series
edit| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2023 | Tricon Garage | 11 | Toyota | DAY | LVS | ATL | COA | TEX | BRD | MAR | KAN | DAR | NWS | CLT | GTW 9 |
NSH | MOH | POC | RCH | IRP | MLW | 37th | 85 | [29] | |||||
| 1 | KAN 13 |
BRI | TAL | HOM | PHO 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
ARCA Menards Series
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| ARCA Menards Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2020 | Bill McAnally Racing | 19 | Toyota | DAY | PHO 16 |
TAL | POC | IRP | KEN | IOW 12 |
KAN | TOL | TOL | MCH | DRC | GTW 5 |
L44 | TOL | BRI | 26th | 139 | [30] | ||||
| Venturini Motorsports | 20 | Toyota | WIN 4 |
MEM | ISF | KAN | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Bill McAnally Racing | 16 | Toyota | DAY | PHO 6 |
TAL | KAN | 10th | 386 | [31] | ||||||||||||||||
| Venturini Motorsports | 15 | Toyota | TOL 4 |
CLT | MOH | POC | ELK 2 |
BLN 5 |
ISF 5 |
MLW 7 |
DSF 10 |
SLM 1 |
KAN | |||||||||||||
| 25 | IOW 7 |
WIN | GLN | MCH | BRI 7 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 20 | DAY | PHO 6 |
TAL | KAN | CLT | IOW 13 |
BLN 3 |
ELK 2 |
MOH 5 |
POC 13 |
IRP 6 |
MCH | GLN 3 |
ISF 1** |
MLW 7 |
DSF 2 |
KAN | BRI 10 |
SLM 2 |
TOL 2* |
11th | 603 | [32] | ||
| 2023 | DAY 7 |
PHO 27 |
TAL 1* |
KAN 1* |
CLT 1* |
BLN 2* |
ELK 1* |
MOH 4 |
IOW 3 |
POC 1* |
MCH 1 |
IRP 1* |
GLN 1 |
ISF 3 |
MLW 2 |
DSF 1 |
KAN 19 |
BRI 2* |
SLM 1** |
TOL 2 |
1st | 1057 | [33] | |||
ARCA Menards Series East
edit| ARCA Menards Series East results | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | AMSEC | Pts | Ref |
| 2020 | Bill McAnally Racing | 19 | Toyota | NSM 12 |
TOL | DOV | TOL | BRI | 20th | 70 | [34] | |||
| Venturini Motorsports | 15 | Toyota | FIF 6 |
|||||||||||
| 2021 | 25 | NSM | FIF | NSV | DOV 18 |
SNM | IOW 7 |
BRI 7 |
11th | 132 | [35] | |||
| 15 | MLW 7 |
|||||||||||||
| 2022 | 20 | NSM | FIF | DOV 2 |
NSV | IOW 13 |
MLW 7 |
BRI 10 |
9th | 142 | [36] | |||
| 2023 | FIF | DOV | NSV | FRS | IOW 3 |
IRP 1* |
MLW 2 |
BRI 2* |
11th | 177 | [37] | |||
ARCA Menards Series West
edit| ARCA Menards Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | AMSWC | Pts | Ref |
| 2020 | Bill McAnally Racing | 19 | Toyota | LVS 2 |
MMP 1* |
MMP 2 |
IRW 1* |
EVG 4 |
DCS 3 |
CNS 1* |
LVS 3 |
AAS 4 |
KCR 8 |
PHO 14 |
1st | 613 | [38] | |
| 2021 | 16 | PHO 6 |
SON 19 |
IRW 1 |
CNS 2* |
IRW 1 |
PIR 3 |
LVS 13 |
AAS 12 |
PHO 14 |
1st | 438 | [39] | |||||
| 2022 | Venturini Motorsports | 20 | Toyota | PHO 6 |
IRW | KCR | PIR | SON | IRW | EVG | PIR | AAS | LVS | PHO 2 |
26th | 130 | [40] | |
| 2023 | PHO 27 |
IRW | KCR | PIR | SON | IRW | SHA | EVG | AAS | LVS | MAD | PHO | 71st | 18 | [41] | |||
References
edit- ^ "13 Year Old Racing Phenom Jesse Love Earns Age Exemption for RPM Pro Late Model Series". Newswire (Press release). August 23, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Seelman, Jacob (January 14, 2020). "Four Rookies Chasing ARCA West Title With BMR". Speed Sport. Turn 3 Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Christley, Jason (January 29, 2020). "New Faces Readying For West Coast Title Run". ARCARacing.com. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Albert, Zack (December 17, 2019). "Hailie Deegan moves to Ford development program, sets 2020 plans". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Christley, Jason (June 27, 2020). "Utah Doubleheader Produces Pair of First-Time Winners". ARCARacing.com.
- ^ "Jesse Love earns first ARCA Menards Series West Championship with Toyota". Speedway Digest. November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
- ^ "Love Is ARCA West Champion As Gilliland Steals Finale". Speed Sport. November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (January 29, 2021). "Jesse Love Joining Venturini Motorsports for 10-Race ARCA Schedule in 2021". TobyChristie.com.
- ^ Haislop, Tadd (October 3, 2021). "Jesse Love earns first ARCA Menards Series victory; Ty Gibbs wins Showdown title at Salem". ARCA. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (January 3, 2022). "Corey Heim and Jesse Love Sharing Venturini Motorsports No. 20 in 2022". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Starcevic, R. J. (August 21, 2022). "Jesse Love Leads Every Lap en Route to ARCA Victory at Springfield". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Christie, Toby (January 10, 2023). "Jesse Love Running For 2023 ARCA Menards Series Championship With Venturini". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Haislop, Tadd (September 30, 2023). "Jesse Love wins 2023 ARCA Menards Series championship". ARCA. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (February 9, 2023). "Jesse Love Inks Three-Race Deal with TRICON Garage, Making Truck Debut at Gateway". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love taking over No. 2 Xfinity car for Richard Childress Racing in 2024". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ "ARCA Menards Series champion Jesse Love moving to Xfinity Series with Richard Childress Racing". ARCARacing.com. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (February 17, 2024). "Jesse Love Begins Rookie Campaign with Xfinity Series Pole at Daytona". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Christie, Toby (February 23, 2024). "Jesse Love Makes History with Second Consecutive Pole to Start Xfinity Career". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Christie, Toby (February 24, 2024). "Austin Hill Takes Atlanta Win After Fuel Mileage Heartbreak for Jesse Love". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Stumpf, Stephen (February 24, 2024). "Fuel Tank Sputter Denies Dominant Jesse Love at Atlanta". Frontstretch.com. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Richardson, Cameron (March 9, 2024). "Xfinity rookie Jesse Love savors career day at Phoenix". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (April 12, 2024). "Jesse Love Scores Third Career Pole for Xfinity Race at Texas". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ "Jesse Love holds off field in double-OT to score first win at Talladega". NASCAR. April 20, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ Shoecraft, Don (September 25, 2021). "Menlo Park's Jesse Love pursuing his NASCAR dream". InMenlo. InMenlo, LLC. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "Jesshill Love Counsel". Gray Duffy, LLP. 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "Jess Love". LinkedIn. 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love Inks Three Race Deal at Tricon Garage". TobyChristie.com. February 9, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2020 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2022 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2023 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2020 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2021 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2022 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2023 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2020 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2021 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Jesse Love – 2023 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
External links
edit- Official website
- Official profile at Richard Childress Racing
- Jesse Love driver statistics at Racing-Reference