Defending O'Reilly Champ Love to Make First Cup Start of 2026 at COTA

Jesse Love, the defending champion of the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, will be making the first of "several" scheduled NASCAR Cup Series starts in next weekend's DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.

The 21-year-old driver will get behind the wheel of a third entry for Richard Childress Racing (RCR), the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, in the first of four road course events on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. C4 Ultimate Energy, a long-time sponsor for Love, will serve as the primary marketing partner.

NEWS: C4 Energy® to sponsor Jesse Love in the NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas this March.

For more information, please visit https://t.co/MagVYvAJQv pic.twitter.com/WZO7J6JICn
— RCR (@RCRracing) February 20, 2026

"At C4 Energy, we’re drawn to athletes who embody drive, discipline, and relentless ambition, and Jesse represents all of that and more,” said Robert Zajac, chief marketing officer, C4 Energy. “He’s a rising star who competes with intensity and authenticity, which aligns perfectly with our brand. We’re especially excited to have him at COTA right here in our own backyard of Austin, bringing together speed, performance, and community in a way that feels uniquely C4.”

Love, a native of Menlo Park, California, is in his third season of full-time competition in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, where he pilots the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing. The up-and-coming driver won the title last season for the organization after winning events at Daytona and Phoenix.

“C4 Energy has been with me throughout many major moments in my career and I’m excited for them to be showcased on the No. 33 Chevrolet when I make my 2026 Cup Series debut next weekend at Circuit of the Americas,” said Love. “C4 Energy powers me on race days, prep days, and beyond so it’s only fitting that they come along with me for my first NASCAR Cup Series start of 2026. Racing in the Cup Series is my goal, and I’m ready to capitalize on these opportunities this season thanks to the strong team behind me at RCR, including Richard Childress, Mike Verlander, Danny Lawrence, and all the hard-working men and women at the race shop, ECR and CT Spring in Welcome, NC.”

Last April, with the support of C4 Energy, Love made his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway -- the first of five events that he'd run at NASCAR's top-level in 2026, netting a best finish of 24th in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the No. 62 for Beard Motorsports.

“Jesse Love is a talented racer who has consistently proven himself with strong on-track performance and an off-track demeanor that appeals to fans and partners,” said RCR President Mike Verlander. “We’re proud of his development over the past few years and look forward to helping him compete at the highest levels of our sport alongside C4 Ultimate Energy.”

In 2020, Love became the youngest champion in NASCAR history by winning the ARCA Menards Series West championship at the age of 16. In 2023, Love posted a dominating performance by winning half the races in the championship in the ARCA Menards Series.

Now, as Love looks to further advance himself as a championship favorite in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and prove himself ready for the NASCAR Cup Series, the up-and-comer is running a part-time schedule to gain experience. In addition to COTA, Love also has a confirmed NASCAR Cup Series start coming at Talladega Superspeedway in April, with sponsorship from 1-800-PACK-RAT.

The DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne will take place on Sunday, March 1 at 3:30 PM ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.