Jesse Love — Driver Profile
Car: No. 2 | Team: Richard Childress Racing | Manufacturer: Chevrolet Crew Chief: Danny Stockman | Sponsors: Samsara, Whelen Status: Full-time | Hometown: Menlo Park, California | Age: 21
2026 Season
Jesse Love enters 2026 as the defending O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and is making the case that his 2025 title was no fluke. Through eight races he sits second in points with five top 10s, three top fives, and 223 laps led — the most of any driver in the series — without a single DNF. His best finish is a runner-up at Phoenix, where he put together the kind of clean, dominant performance that defined his championship run.
2026 Stats (through 8 races): 2nd in points (296 pts) | 0 wins | 3 top 5s | 5 top 10s | 6.5 avg. start | 9.5 avg. finish | 223 laps led
Career
Love won the 2025 OARS championship in just his second full-time season, making him one of the youngest champions in series history. The California native graduated through the JR Motorsports development pipeline before joining RCR's No. 2 program. He brings a precision style that stands out in a series that often rewards aggression over consistency.
The Story
The real question around Love in 2026 is whether he can add a win to what is otherwise a championship-caliber stat line. He leads the series in laps led and runs near the top five of points almost every week — but the win column sits at zero through eight races. For a defending champion with his resources and pace, converting laps led into victories is the defining challenge of the year.