What happened to Jesse Love in the NASCAR Xfinity race after leading 157 out of 169 laps at Atlanta? 

After starting his race from the pole position for the second time in a row, Xfinity Series rookie Jesse Love looked to be in some sublime form as he led almost the entirety of the RAPTOR King of Tough 250 race at Atlanta Superspeedway. However, a 12th-place finish left fans and pundits alike pondering what went wrong for the promising 19-year-old driver.

After a stellar 2023 campaign where he won the ARCA Menards Series Championship, Love made the move to Xfinity Series outfit Richard Childress Racing. Piloting the No. 2 Chevrolet, Love won poles in the first two Xfinity races of his career — Daytona and Atlanta —, becoming the first driver to do so.

Love's dominance was on full display during the race at Atlanta as he swept the first two stages and led the field for 157 out of a total of 169 laps. However, a late-race restart, prompted by multiple Fords running out of fuel on the track, proved to be a turning point for him. As the race resumed, Love's car faltered after it ran out of gas, causing him to lose the lead and relinquish his commanding position.

Despite managing to restart the No. 2 Chevrolet, the damage was already done, and Love found himself relegated to a 12th-place finish after a valiant effort that saw him lead the pack for the majority of the race.

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Jesse Love feels "bittersweet" following Atlanta race

Speaking to Bob Pockrass after the race, Jesse Love shed light on his mindset, emphasizing his commitment to focusing on performance rather than results. He said:

"So, my mindset changed after Phoenix last year in the ARCA car when I got wrecked in that race. I decided to myself that I was gonna stop caring about the result and only worry about the performance that I did that day."

The Richard Childress Racing driver added:

"And I'm gonna fly home tonight, gonna be very bittersweet about it. But I'm also gonna be proud of my performance and everybody on this #2 car's performance. I don't think we could've done anything better. I think Jesse Love myself could've saved a little more fuel out front. At the same time you say that, but what if you get taken off guard, right?"

When questioned about the complexities of fuel management, particularly in light of his limited experience in the Xfinity Series, Jesse Love conceded that the team fell short of their target. He said:

"Yeah. Yes and no. I thought that because we were so fast, that I was able to do, not full lifts but dang near all the way out of throttle at times, and never touch the brake pedal and use the surges and the yoyo effect to my favor. Obviously under caution I was saving as much as I could."

He added:

"But now I know how much I gotta save. I gotta go home and probably do some match. But yeah, I thought I was saving a lot, and I thought for sure we were gonna make it to the end, I did."

Jesse Love's teammate Austin Hill secured his second win in a row as he raced to victory at Atlanta Superspeedway after starting from the front row.