After 10 wins and the 2023 championship for Venturini Motorsports in ARCA, the 20-year-old skipped the Truck Series and dove headfirst into Xfinity with RCR. And his rookie season? He grabbed five poles and racked up 18 top-five finishes across slick ovals and twisty road courses. But this season, RCR has been marred with penalties, including Austin Hill’s widely discussed suspension. Many even thought that the sophomore would follow suit. However, that’s not been the case, but what has Jesse Love done to avoid such a situation?

In the 12 Questions Series, Jeff Gluck asked Jesse Love about what people get wrong about him, and Love couldn’t help but bring up his ARCA days: “Toward the end of my ARCA tenure in 2023, I realized I wasn’t very well-liked, so I made a concerted effort in 2024 and into this year to engage more with fans on Twitter and stuff. I feel like I do that more than the average driver. People say, ‘Don’t care what others say and don’t let that have any impact on what you do.’ But I still want to be genuine, and I also realize fans have opinions and shouldn’t just be written off. I want to listen to them.”

Even though the California native claimed his second ARCA Menards championship, his second-place finish to Joe Gibbs Racing’s William Sawalich at Berlin Raceway was the turning point. With a blistering 16.44-second lap and qualifying, Love was in control from the drop of the green at Berlin, looking like the clear winner of the race. He faced minimal pressure from William Sawalich’s arrival and the rest of the field.

Reflecting on the race, Love revealed, “When I look back at something like my ARCA interview after I lost Berlin in 2023 — I led 197 laps out of 200 and William (Sawalich) moved me with two to go — I was really pissed. At the time I didn’t see a problem with what I said, but now I look back and sound like a spoiled brat. So I’ve tried to come across in a more mature way.”

But Love was caught off guard in the closing laps, almost hitting him on the way while overtaking the star of the night. Confident his car could maintain the lead, he felt Sawalich’s move was unfair and disrupted his rhythm. Even though William apologized in Victory Lane, Love didn’t let it slide.

His frustration grew, and he said, “I’m glad there’s some accountability, but I’ve been raced dirty by the No. 18 in a lot of different races throughout my whole ARCA career. I thought I had a ten-car length gap and was just trying to keep the nose on it while not doing anything stupid with the lapped cars. Then all of a sudden, I’m a*s-packed and lifted up into [Turn] 3. I’ve got to set an example for kids who come in and run people over, so [Joe Gibbs Racing] is going to be building a lot of race cars.”

And now, Love has completely flipped the script on his narrative. Amid near top finishes in the playoffs, Jesse Love has maintained his composure. In the 2025 season so far, he has posted 19 Top-10s, 8 Top-5s with one win. And now the weight of an Xfinity title lies squarely on Love’s shoulder after his teammate Austin Hill’s elimination from the playoff picture at the Charlotte Roval last weekend.

As Love narrowly makes it to the Round of 8, the young ace aims to redeem himself in the following round. But while looking at the bigger picture, his best friend and Xfinity points leader, Connor Zilisch, has found himself a Cup seat with Trackhouse Racing and is ready to wave goodbye to the Xfinity world, but what about Jesse Love?

Is a full-time Cup ride in the cards for Jesse Love?

It is no secret that an ambitious Xfinity star will want to move up the ladder to the Cup Series. And the No. 2 driver’s standout performances in the Xfinity Series are drawing attention from fans, teams, and key figures across the sport. And that is sparking a debate about his next step.

Speaking with Jeff Gluck for The Athletic’s 12-question series, he emphasized his readiness: “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.”

The season has shown him not just as a driver but as a competitor who can navigate precise strategy and flow. Consistent Xfinity results, with 5 Cup starts, positioned him as a strong candidate for promotion. Addressing his speculation around the 2026 roster, Love said, “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.”

One potential landing spot is Jimmie Johnson‘s Legacy Motor Club. With their charter dispute settled earlier in the month with Rick Ware Racing, FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass notes Love’s prior ties to Toyota during his ARCA career could be a key advantage, posting, “If they add a third car, Xfinity driver Jesse Love’s previous connection to Toyota could help him.”

With momentum building, Love’s push forward toward a full-time car ride is gaining serious attention as the 2026 season nears. This year, he made five part-time Cup Series appearances at tracks including Richmond and Kansas. With several open Cup seats rumored for 2026, Love’s trajectory has put him in the spotlight.