HAMPTON, Ga.–Jesse Love appeared to be en route to his first NASCAR Xfinity win in just his second career start on the tour.
He executed a near-flawless race. He won the first two stages. He held off racers far more experienced than himself. And he led 157 of 169 laps in a race that went to overtime.
While Love saved enough fuel to run to the finish of regulation, when the Raptor King of Tough 250 ran into extra laps, the 19-year-old Richard Childress rookie was doomed.
“It’s almost comical,” Love said. “Man, I’m just so damn proud of everybody on this Whelen car. It just wasn’t meant to be. Obviously, as a Christian, I’m not going to allow myself to question why we were under caution so long or what happened. I always try to take responsibility for everything, so I as a driver should have saved more fuel.
“Man, I just didn’t want anybody to catch me off guard. I thought I saved a ton. Man, that overtime or that caution just lasted forever.”
Although Love wasn’t able to go the distance, teammate Austin Hill did. For RCR, it was the first time in the organization’s 27 years of Xfinity competition that one of their drivers won the first two races of the season. Hill also won last weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
Still, before RCR Executive Vice Presidents Mike Dillon and Andy Petree, and Danny Lawrence, Vice President and Director of Xfinity Programs, went to Victory Lane, they congratulated the newest member of their driving stable.
Crew chief Danny Stockman arrived next. The veteran leader who guided Austin Dillon, team owner Richard Childress’ grandson, to the 2013 NXS title, was recruited last year to oversee Sheldon Creed’s effort in the No. 2 Chevy.
Then Creed jumped ship to Joe Gibbs Racing. RCR announced last October that Jesse Love, the 2023 ARCA champ, would fill the seat.
“He’s special,” Stockman said. “You just don’t do the things he’s doing. I don’t care if it’s a speedway-style race track. He’s never seen the place. He ran four laps in a simulator before he came here, then holds it wide open in qualifying and sits on the pole.
“Just the things he was doing—watching the mirror and knowing that the 98 (Riley Herbst) was trying to bait him into doing things. He’s just smart. He’s an intelligent kid with a lot of raw ability. And I’m the lucky one that gets to work with him. It’s just fun.”
Early indication is that RCR got the better end of the Love-for-Creed deal.
“For sure,” Stockman said. “RCR is home for me. Coming back there, I have a lot of support right now. I have a lot of people that believe in me right now. I’m just glad to be back.
“I just really wish we could have won that race. It would have been special.”
Love agrees. After winning poles in his first two NXS races, he just wants more.
“It’s just a bummer,” Love said. “I just can’t help but be proud of the guys on our 2 car. Danny Stockman has a great team. We have big power at ECR, and I’m just grateful to roll it.
“I know I just want to pound a mud hole in everybody in the next few weeks, that’s for sure. I’m really grateful to be in this spot, to lead laps and have a really good car. It just makes me very hungry.”
Hill believes it’s just a matter of time before his new teammate goes to Victory Lane. He expects himself and Love to qualify for the Playoffs this fall.
“After seeing what Jesse did today, he has his head on straight,” Hill said. “It’s not like he’s making dumb decisions, dumb moves. He’s doing the right things right. He’s very mature for his age when it comes to strapping into a race car.
“I think him and I are going to work very well together. We’re going to keep making this team better. It’s been great having Danny Stockman over here on the 2 team. I think it’s elevated the 21 and the 2 team together.”
While Hill experienced a rivalry with his former teammate Creed, it was anything but friendly. Two weeks into the current arrangement with Love, Hill can feel the momentum build.
“Everyone is working extremely hard,” Hill said. “It’s almost like an internal battle is brewing at RCR. The 2 wants to do better than the 21. The 21 wants to do better than the 2. Hell, the 21 team was pissed off that we got out-qualified and we qualified second.
“It’s like an internal competition going on and that’s only going to make us better in the long run.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
