Talladega, AL — Jesse Love, driver of the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, showed front-running pace in Saturday’s United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, leading 19 laps—second-most on the day—and bringing home a top-10 finish. With the result, Love departs Talladega 40 points above the cut line entering next weekend’s Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway.

Love qualified on the pole and spent much of the afternoon inside the top three. A late caution set up overtime, and the team elected to top off for fuel under yellow, sacrificing track position to ensure they could race to the end. Love charged back to P10 at the checkers—solidly protecting his points buffer despite Talladega’s chaos.

The race was won by Austin Hill after a dramatic two-lap dash, capping a sweep of Talladega in 2025; Hill led a race-best 48 laps and took both stage wins.

An early multi-car incident at Lap 15 thinned the Playoff herd; among those caught up were fellow Round of 8 contenders Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer.

Love also retains the first pit-stall selection for Martinsville thanks to his Talladega pole—an edge that could matter in tight pit road quarters as the field battles for Championship 4 berths.

“We had a Whelen Engineering Chevrolet capable of winning,” Love said post-race. “The fuel call was a tough one, but the priority was finishing strong and protecting points. We did what we needed to do today, and now we’re focused on executing at Martinsville.” (Team-provided quote placeholder—replace with final quote if needed.)

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About Jesse Love

Jesse Love is a 20-year-old rising star in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. A multi-time ARCA Menards Series winner and the 2023 ARCA National Champion, Love blends speed, racecraft, and composure as he chases a berth in the Championship 4. Learn more at JesseLoveRacing.com.

About Richard Childress Racing

Founded in 1969, Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is one of NASCAR’s most decorated teams, with 200+ victories and 16 championships across NASCAR’s top divisions. RCR competes in both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series. Visit RCRracing.com for more information.

About the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs

The Round of 8 sets the stage for drivers to fight for four Championship 4 spots at Phoenix Raceway. With points at a premium and opportunities scarce, every stage—and every pit call—can decide who advances.