After dominating 28 laps on the Talladega Superspeedway, Richard Childress Racing driver Jesse Love bagged his first-ever NASCAR win in his ninth Xfinity Series start.
The 124-lap dash, where the RCR reigned supreme, witnessed multiple cautions being raised and the subsequent lead changes. There were a total of 34 lead changes during the race, which last happened in 2013, when Regan Smith won at the Alabama-based track.
The 2024 race is now tied with the 2013 Xfinity run at the 2.66-mile superspeedway for the 11th most lead changes in the history of Xfinity Series racing (via Trey Ryan on X).
Jesse Love claimed the second spot on Saturday's lineup after setting the fastest qualifying time at 52.871 seconds, clocking a top speed of 181.12 mph.
The Ag-Pro 300 kicked off and Austin Hill maintained his lead for 24 laps. However, Love maneuvered to the low side of the high-banking oval and passed the former to take charge of 29 high-octane cars on the track.
From there, the RCR driver clinched his first-ever NASCAR win after etching the Stage 1 win under his name and finishing second in Stage 2.
"I had PTSD flashbacks" - Jesse Love reminisces on handcuffed Atlanta outing after grabbing maiden Xfinity win at Talladega
Jesse Love expectedly brought out the much-awaited victory burnouts on the track after his victory. However, after jumping out of his #2 Chevy, the 19-year-old stated that he had unsavory flashbacks while taming the high-octane ride on the 2.66-mile asphalt.
Love is in his debut year in the Xfinity Series and within just nine stints, the RCR driver has registered an Ag-Pro 300 win. However, shortly after savoring the triumph, Love's #2 Chevy was called in for a post-race inspection. After stringent testing, the officials concluded no illegal iterations were done to the machine, declaring the RCR driver the official winner.
This could have notably been the Californian native's second win, had he not succumbed to fuel issues during his second race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Despite leading 157 laps, insufficient fuel meant he couldn't claim victory as the extended restart witnessed the Chevy sputter before firing up. From there, he lost contention and finished in 12th.
After sealing the Talladega victory, Jesse Love emotionally recollected his Atlanta run amid his ninth Xfinity Series race, saying (via NASCAR on YouTube):
"I just wanted it so bad and I had PTSD flashbacks from Atlanta and burned her [#2 Chevy] to the ground. A huge thank you to the boys at RCR for bringing the most steam in the building." (0.29)