Jesse Love may have just taken a few notes from the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Joey Logano. With debates about Logano’s three titles under the microscope, Jesse Love is now in the same boat. The 20-year-old driver only won once this year, which was the season opener, the United Rentals 300 at Daytona, but took advantage of the ‘win and in’ elimination-style format.

Love managed to keep his nose clean through the playoffs and capitalized on other playoff contenders’ mishaps to make it into the Championship 4. And after performing a masterful pass on Connor Zilisch with 24 laps to go, the 20-year-old lifted the trophy after a clutch result. But now the freshly crowned title winner faces backlash for being an ‘illegitimate champion,’ but Love isn’t paying any heed to it.

Jesse Love silences critics amid playoff system debate

Ignoring the critics, Love is keeping his head high and delivers a bold response. He said, “Well, I really don’t give a sh-t what people say. I’ve got a trophy and a check.” The best friends, Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love, entered the season finale with a 10-1 win stat, and Zilisch looked like the clear championship favorite. For a driver who has dominated the entire season, won 10 times, and delivered his team their 100th win, Zilisch surely deserved the title. But the current playoff system completely derailed his day.

Despite leading 34 laps of the race, Love was right behind the 19-year-old. The No. 2 Chevy made the decisive move in the closing laps and pulled away from the rest of the field. When the checkered flag was waved, Love emerged as a clear winner, and now, with JR Motorsport’s team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., sounding off on the playoff format after losing it all at Phoenix this evening, the 20-year-old, newly crowned champion, isn’t bothered by the noise.

The 20-year-old’s remarks echo exactly what Joey Logano has been saying for years. Recently, the three-time Cup champion put his foot down. Those who thought he wasn’t deserving of the championships got a sharp response. Earlier this year, Logano said, “It doesn’t take anything away, in my opinion. And I honestly don’t care what people think a lot of times if they’re talking specifically about me.”

For a driver who performs when it matters the most, Logano has very carefully crafted his method of winning his titles. In 2018, the 35-year-old Penske driver had only two wins on his way to the finale. But his impressive performance at Homestead and the winner-take-all system helped him claim his first title.

That attitude and the fact that the Penske driver admits that the current playoff system creates drama are what have the NASCAR community in a chokehold. Amid Logano giving his opinions about the Next-Gen car, the playoff debates are heating up, and Trackhouse Racing’s owner, Justin Marks, is here to water them down.

Connor Zilisch’s new boss fires off at the playoff format

While Zilisch’s JR Motorsports’ owner, Dale Jr., gave a very pointed view about the playoff system, his new boss in the Cup Series, Trackhouse Racing’s owner Justin Marks, also stands tall amid the debate. Marks didn’t hold back, aiming for NASCAR’s playoff format that ultimately crushed the 19-year-old’s championship dreams.

He said, “Because our sport has a big element of luck, and we’re driving machinery, I think a one-race championship was a great experiment, and it was an interesting journey, but I don’t think that’s where we should go from here on out.”

Zilisch, a rookie compared to Love’s sophomore status, absolutely lit up the 2025 season. With 20 top-five finishes and 23 top-tens, Zilisch emerged as the most dominant and consistent driver. And if it were under NASCAR’s traditional full-season points format, the North Carolina native would have comfortably secured the championship.

But because the modern playoff error exists, his title hopes were put on hold until the Phoenix finale. But with great support from not only Dale Jr. but also Justin Marks, Zilisch will have a fresh start at Trackhouse Racing in the Cup Series.