“I think of myself as a driver that is a pretty complete pie without humongous spikes. I’m trying to grow the pie gradually and get better as a whole pretty evenly.” This statement from Jesse Love captures his sophomore Xfinity Series season with Richard Childress Racing. With 35 top-10 finishes across 58 starts since his debut in 2024, Love has shown remarkable consistency. Yet consistency alone doesn’t quench ambition in NASCAR, and Love’s eyes are set on greater challenges ahead.

His five part-time Cup Series starts this year, and tracks like Richmond and Kansas have given him a taste of the top tier under the RCR banner. As the 2026 season looms, whispers in the garage hint at bigger opportunities for the 20-year-old Californian. Amid this buzz, Love’s own words reveal a hunger that’s impossible to ignore.

Jesse Love’s bold push for a full-time Cup ride

In a candid chat with Jeff Gluck for The Athletic’s “12 Questions” series, Jesse Love didn’t hold back on his readiness for NASCAR’s premier level. “I feel like I’m well-prepared for a Cup seat. The biggest thing for me was proving I could make lap time in the Cup car, and I can definitely do that,” Love said, referencing his five outings this season where he averages 29.6 in finishes but gained crucial experience in race flow and strategy.

This confidence stems from his rapid climb: after dominating ARCA with 10 wins and a 2023 championship for Venturini Motorsports, he skipped Trucks entirely, jumping to Xfinity with RCR in 2024. There, he’s notched five poles and 18 top-fives overall, proving he can compete against veterans while adapting to ovals, road courses, and superspeedways from his diverse background in midgets, late models, and legends cars.

Love‘s plea gains urgency from swirling rumors tying him to potential Cup seats in 2026. “There are a lot of moving pieces right now. When you’re doing well in Xfinity, the rumor mill spikes up. The fact I’m getting talked about a little on the Cup side is nice — both by rumor accounts and fans,” he admitted, acknowledging the speculation without specifics.

One key rumor points to Legacy Motor Club, where FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass noted, “If they add a third car, Xfinity driver Jesse Love’s previous connection to Toyota could help him.” Legacy, co-owned by Jimmie Johnson, currently runs Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek in two cars but is suing Rick Ware Racing over a charter dispute. Either that or a favorable ruling or open-market charters from recent antitrust wins by 23XI and Front Row could enable a third entry, leveraging Love’s Toyota roots from his ARCA days.

Adding fuel to Love’s drive is the success of close friend Connor Zilisch, who inked a multi-year Cup deal with Trackhouse Racing in August and is set to replace Daniel Suárez in the No. 99 Chevy starting with the 2026 Daytona 500. “It’s been a dream forever, so to finally see that light is cool,” Love reflected on his own aspirations, hinting at a competitive edge sharpened by Zilisch’s leap.

The duo hosts the “Shake N Bake Sports” YouTube channel and shares on-track history, including a 2025 Talladega spin where Love called Zilisch his “best friend” post-incident. While Love eyes staying with RCR for continuity, these factors paint a driver eager to prove he’s not just consistent but Cup-caliber now.

Love’s insights extend beyond his personal path, touching on what he sees as NASCAR’s core challenges. As a young voice in the sport, he’s unafraid to call out where improvements are needed.

Love calls out drivers on NASCAR’s popularity dip

Jesse Love isn’t shy about pinpointing why NASCAR’s growth has stalled, placing much of the blame squarely on the drivers themselves. Drawing from his own rise through the ranks, Love argues that the sport thrives when personalities shine, much like his transition from ARCA dominance to Xfinity contention showed the value of building a complete skill set.

With viewership fluctuating, down 5% in regular-season TV ratings this year per Nielsen data, Love sees a missed opportunity in how drivers engage fans, echoing broader concerns amid streaming shifts and competition from F1.

“For one, the drivers have to be superstars. If an NFL athlete walks in a room, you know it. If a stock car driver walks in, you don’t. I don’t know the exact formula of how you create that, but it starts off with drivers putting effort into it—and I’d say most drivers don’t. And I think our superstars right now don’t always put in the effort that’s needed,” Love told The Express, highlighting a disconnect that’s hurt the sport’s appeal since its 2000s peak, when stars like Dale Earnhardt Jr. drew massive crowds.

In fact, his stance echoes with Dale Jr’s on this matter, who said the same thing about the lack of star power due to the current format. His point ties back to NASCAR’s efforts like the Netflix series “Full Speed,” which aimed to humanize drivers but hasn’t fully reversed attendance dips at tracks like Bristol, down 10% from pre-pandemic levels according to Speedway Motorsports reports.

Love doubles down by emphasizing the human element over the machinery. “Nobody watches RC (remote-controlled car) racing and everybody watches NASCAR racing because they tune in for the people driving them. It’s about the person behind the wheel. Making the drivers the superstars again is the best way to do that,” he added, urging a return to charismatic promotion seen in eras with rivalries like Jeff Gordon vs. Dale Earnhardt.