“I have worked my whole life towards this opportunity”: RCR driver on his Cup debut ‘pressure’

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will field three drivers in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, giving Jesse Love his NASCAR Cup Series debut on Sunday, April 13. The 20-year-old driver, who will be on double duty this weekend, recently spoke about the high-pressure situation of making his Cup debut, calling it the opportunity he has always worked towards.

Love will pilot the No. 33 C4 Ultimate Energy Chevrolet for RCR at the challenging half-mile track at Bristol with steep banking and a concrete surface. While this will be his Cup debut, Love is no stranger to the track. He earned a strong fourth-place finish in his only Xfinity Series race there and has three ARCA Menards Series starts at Bristol, including a runner-up finish in 2023.

During the press conference on Friday, Love was asked just how excited he was to get his first race in the Cup Series. The RCR driver responded (via Speedway Digest), saying:

"A lot of people have asked me if I'm excited. I have worked my whole life towards this opportunity, so it's going to be high-pressure situation and environment. I don't feel like going into it overly excited, and ambitious is probably the best way to go about it."

"I'm trying to keep a level head going into the whole weekend," he added. "I have 500 laps to stay disciplined with my marks, rhythm, and how I drive. I want to go perform the best that I can so I can achieve my bigger goal of doing it every weekend on Sunday," he added.

Jesse Love is in his second full-time season in the NXS and sits fifth in the drivers' standings with 247 points to his name.

---

Veteran RCR employee will serve as Jesse Love’s crew chief on Sunday

NASCAR Xfinity: RCR driver Jesse Love at the United Rentals 300 - Source: Imagn

RCR has a rich history of competing at Bristol Motor Speedway. In their 189 starts at the track, they have achieved nine victories, 35 top-five finishes, and 71 top-10 finishes. Long-time RCR employee Andy Streets will partner Jesse Love as his crew chief during Sunday’s Food City 500.

Love has risen quickly in the world of stock car racing. In 2020, he became the youngest champion in NASCAR history by winning his first ARCA Menards Series West title at the age of 16.

He won the national ARCA Menards Series championship in 2023, and during his rookie Xfinity season, Love was named the 'Sunoco Rookie of the Year.' When asked about his preparation for the Cup debut and the importance of using simulators, the RCR driver said (via Speedway Digest):

"Obviously, the simulation stuff is important, but even more so than that, it's about building my relationship with my new crew chief, Andy Street. He and I have (had) a good friendship even before we knew we would work together this season. Continuing to build on that relationship and figuring out the questions I have will be important.”

Love’s debut in the Cup Series will commence at 3:00 pm ET on Sunday, April 13, when the field will take the first green flag of the day.