Given how crazy the driving in NASCAR is, it makes sense that the drivers would have this craziness to them as well. Kyle Larson seemed to disagree when he said last year that the drivers, in his opinion, were creating a “vanilla” culture. His remarks intensified discussions of NASCAR’s image and expectations fans have for driver individuality. But a recent post brings the debate back up with just seven words from a veteran driver.

The seven-word message

Mark Martin took to X recently, responding to a post from Richard Childress’ star, Jesse Love. He used just seven words that seem to revive the old personality debate of NASCAR.

“I think we have some (personality) here,” said Martin.

The response was to a post from Love Jr., involving a picture with two of his fellow drivers. Love tweeted, “. @jzilisch1 we will be to your house asap if Connor can lock in here.”

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Apparently, Martin seemed to like this as it showed the missing ‘personality’ that the sport lacks. Fans and veterans often say that the drivers today are too media-safe and reserved. But Jesse Love’s playful gesture towards his friend and rival Connor Zilisch shows some character. Martin feels this is the kind of personality and flavor fans want to see from drivers.

Love Jr. recently turned his breakout season into a winning one when he began with a win at the opening race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series 2025 schedule at Daytona and closed it with the biggest win to claim the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway in November. The Richard Childress star had to beat his friend Zilisch, who was the title favorite with ten wins, to claim the career-changing victory and title.

The “lack” of personality debate

Originally, this big debate began with Kyle Larson speaking about Hendrick Motorsports and the drivers. He contrasted them with the more outgoing personalities of the drivers of IndyCar. He described the drivers at Hendrick as “all pretty vanilla.” This revealed how team dynamics can influence the openness and charisma exhibited by their drivers.

Love Jr. eventually added his two cents, speaking out about the issue of NASCAR’s popularity and the drivers’ involvement in this.

In October, Love shared his opinion on how exactly the drivers can elevate the status of NASCAR to what it once was. Love said that the drivers need to be “superstars.”

“If an NFL athlete walks into a room, you know it. If a stock car driver walks in, you don’t,” Love told The Athletic.

He went on to say people don’t watch stock car racing for the cars exactly, they’re watching for the driver who is racing them. To him, if the drivers can create a personality and get people interested in them, they’ll, in turn, become interested in the driving and the sport as a whole.

“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,” said Love.

Jesse Love steps onto the Super Bowl stage

2025 Xfinity (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series champion Jesse Love is entering the world of football with a 2026 partnership with Richard Childress Racing and a Super Bowl commercial. This is a big moment, and Samsara is about making big moments happen.

The commercial was announced today with the defending NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion. It centers on a simple idea: elite performance is a team sport.

Airing on February 8, the commercial is built on the premise that “even champions need a coach.” This links the racetrack to real-world performance that is shaped by constant preparation, feedback, and fine-tuning.

Along with the commercial, Samsara announced it will be continuing its partnership with Richard Childress Racing and Jesse Love for the third consecutive year. The company is a multi-race primary sponsor of the No. 2 Chevrolet for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

“My first commercial is a big milestone, but I love that this focuses on the grind, not just the finish line,” said Love. “You don’t just show up and win, you’re constantly looking at data and getting coached to find an edge.”

Love is the youngest champion in NASCAR history. He represents the next generation of competitors shaped by a tech-forward approach to performance where data, real-time feedback, and coaching are a part of everyday execution.

“We all want to be our best every time we’re behind the wheel, and Samsara shows what it takes to get there.”