Jesse Love Battles Through Challenging Bristol Night, Holds Third in Points

April 12, 2026

BRISTOL, TENN. (April 12, 2026) — Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet team showed early promise but ultimately came away with a frustratingly average result Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

After posting a strong fourth-fastest time in practice, expectations were high for the Richard Childress Racing driver heading into the race. However, the speed the team showed early in the weekend didn’t fully translate once the green flag dropped.

Love — the defending 2025 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion — qualified 12th and spent much of the night battling in the middle of the pack on the high-banked half-mile, a place where track position and handling are critical.

He managed to salvage solid stage results with an eighth-place finish in Stage One and 11th in Stage Two, but the overall pace of the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet never quite matched the front-running cars. Love ultimately crossed the line in 12th place, a result that fell short of the team’s expectations.

“We just didn’t have the speed we needed to contend up front,” Love said. “We were pretty optimistic after practice, but once the race got going, we struggled to keep up with the top-five cars. We’ll take the points, but this isn’t where we expect to run.”

For a driver who has quickly established himself as a weekly contender — and a reigning series champion — anything outside the top five leaves room for improvement.

Despite the disappointment, the team continues to stay firmly in the championship hunt. Love now sits third in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points standings, limiting the damage on a night where speed was at a premium.

_____________________________________________________________________

Up Next

The series heads to Kansas Speedway for the Kansas Lottery 300, where Love and the No. 2 team will look to rebound and return to their expected form at the front of the field.

About Jesse Love

Jesse Love is a rising star and defending series champion in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Known for his competitive mindset and consistency, Love continues to push for race wins and championships.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is one of NASCAR’s premier organizations, with a legacy of championships and race-winning performance across all national series.