Jesse Love to leap to NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024

Reigning ARCA Menards Series champion Jesse Love will leap to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Richard Childress Racing in 2024.

Love will replace Sheldon Creed in the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. Creed announced earlier this month he wouldn’t be back in that ride.

“We’ve been watching Jesse for a while now and his breakout performance in the ARCA Menards Series was impressive this season,” Richard Childress said. “We know that he has the talent and determination to win races and compete for championships. We feel confident that Jesse will be a strong ambassador for Whelen.”

In 2023, Love earned 10 wins, 17 top-5 finishes and 18 top-10s, plus seven poles, in 20 ARCA Menards Series races en route to the championship. He also led 1477 of 2471 laps he completed as a full-time driver in the series.

Love finished ninth and 13th in his two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts this year.

The move to RCR means Love will move away from the Toyota Racing Development pipeline, at least for now.

“I’ve been fortunate to gain a lot of racing experience at a young age. Nothing compares to the opportunity to race for a legendary team like Richard Childress Racing,” said Love. “I have so much respect for Richard Childress and am extremely grateful to be able to race and learn for him. I’ve dreamed of racing at the highest levels of the sport since I was a young kid, and the path to the NASCAR Cup Series seems more clear with this opportunity.”

Love also earned the 2020 and 2021 ARCA West titles, at ages 15 and 16.