By David Morgan, Associate Editor
AVONDALE, Ariz. – The power of Love.
Despite the odds being stacked against the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team in the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship, in a three-on-one battle against a trio of JR Motorsports Chevrolets, it was Jesse Love that got it done Saturday night at Phoenix Raceway to claim the title.
Winner of 10 races during the 2025 Xfinity Series season and Love’s best friend, Connor Zilisch, would fall short of the title with a third-place finish, ahead of defending series champion Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil.
Aric Almirola finished the night in second-place, securing the owner’s title for Joe Gibbs Racing.
“I just feel so clean, relieved. It’s been a tough year for me. Man, I’ve just put so much work into it. People like my dad and Scott Speed, my whole 2 team, have worked just as hard for my dream as I have for my own,” said Love.
“Man, thank you to Whelen. For one last time this car was fast as Xfinity Mobile. It really hasn’t set in yet. I just tried to tune out all the emotion. It doesn’t feel real at all (smiling).
After nearly throwing his championship run out of the window a week ago at Martinsville with a dismal run, Love came into Phoenix full of swagger that it would be his team to come out on top when all was said and done.
Starting the night in sixth place, frustration was abound over the radio for Love and his team as they worked to find the speed to get to the front, finishing the first stage in 12th place and the rebounding in the second stage to fifth place.
The turning point for Love came on pit road during the stage break between Stage 2 and the final stage, when Love was able to jump into the race lead over his championship rivals.
Despite falling to second behind Allgaier, Love remained in the hunt and was in the process of tracking him back down when the final caution of the night came out, re-racking the field for one final restart.
Once again, the RCR crew got the job done on pit road to boost Love back into the lead for the restart and while he would fall to second behind Zilisch on the restart, the speed was there in the Whelen sponsored Chevrolet and he just needed the time to put it to use.
With 25 laps remaining, Love saw his chance and took it, pulling alongside Zilisch and clearing him off of Turn 4 with a power move. From there on out, it was Love’s race to lose.
LOVE TAKES THE LEAD!!
20 TO GO IN PHOENIX!! pic.twitter.com/fpLkXnjh66
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 2, 2025
Keeping all of his challengers in his rear-view, Love would cross the line nearly two seconds ahead of his next closest championship rival in Zilisch, who fell to third behind Aric Almirola in the final run to the finish.
Love had put the team on his back and delivered for them and now can be called a champion of the Xfinity Series.
“We were so bad to start. I couldn’t believe how bad we were. We were awful. Danny put one of his magic wrenches in there and we came to life,” said Love.
“I’m so grateful for everybody at ECR, back in North Carolina, Marty Houston, all the boys, Chevrolet. I’m forgetting a laundry list of people. This means the world to me. Everybody that’s been on this journey with me over the last few years, especially the last probably eight months or so, I’ve really tried to just rebuild myself and come back better.”
Given that Love had not won a race since the season opener at Daytona, while Zilisch had double digit wins to his name this season, social media immediately lit up after the checkered flag to question the legitimacy of Love as the champion, but the newly crowned title holder would have none of it.
“I really don’t give a shit what people think. I get a big old trophy, I get a nice check, I get a lot of things that come out of this,” said Love.
Love’s crew chief Danny Stockman noted that while Zilisch had an outstanding season, the fact that Love was able to beat him in a straight up race speaks volumes about his driver.
“At the end of the day he won, I don’t know how many, 11 races, 12, something like that. A lot,” Stockman said of Zilisch’s season. “But when it mattered tonight, it did not happen. He won a lot of races, but he’s not an Xfinity Series champion. That’s pretty special for Jesse.
“…That’s what’s important tonight. We beat ’em straight up. Not a pit strategy. We beat them tonight. It’s that simple.”
