Love Will Look to Capitalize On Massive Opportunity With RCR Return

Jesse Love will look to assert himself as a dominant force in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026 as he's set to return to Richard Childress Racing's No. 2 car. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

As he continues to chase the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, Jesse Love knows that his plans will remain unchanged for the 2026 season in the newly rebranded NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. On Friday, Richard Childress Racing confirmed that the 20-year-old driver will return to the organization's No. 2 Chevrolet in the second-tier NASCAR series.

NEWS: Whelen Engineering to continue support of No. 2 Chevrolet and driver Jesse Love in 2026.

For more information, please visit https://t.co/MagVYvAJQv pic.twitter.com/sJvEEncFmG

— RCR (@RCRracing) October 24, 2025

And while the goal for every young driver in the sport is to reach the NASCAR Cup Series full-time, returning to the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series for another full-time effort in 2026 will present an opportunity for Love to build upon his growing legacy before someday making the plunge for the Cup Series.

Love, a two-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, is excited to continue his journey with Richard Childress Racing and Whelen in 2026.

“I’m proud to continue my relationship with Richard Childress Racing and Whelen Engineering and look forward to building upon our already strong foundation,” said Love in a team press release. “Whelen’s strong commitment to motorsports is unmatched. Thank you to Sonny, Geoff, Peter, and everyone at Whelen for their faith in me. My goal is to go out and win races and championships for RCR and Whelen.”

While Love is a very young, Whelen has been impressed with the composure and professionalism shown by the phenom racer since they partnered with him in 2024.

“Richard Childress Racing has been an excellent ambassador for Whelen Engineering over the years,” said Peter Tiezzi, general manager of motorsports for Whelen Engineering. “We’re excited to extend our partnership and continue to impact the communities we serve through our race team partnership in 2026. We both remain focused on providing industry-leading solutions. Jesse Love has done a phenomenal job representing our brand. We wish him the best in his NASCAR Playoffs run this season and look forward to competing alongside him and RCR for a championship in 2026.”

While Love, who took home NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year honors last season, still has aspirations of a championship as he embarks on the final race of the Round of 8 of the Playoffs on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing is thankful for Whelen's support as the driver and team will attempt to reach new heights next season.

“Whelen’s unwavering commitment to motorsports and their focus on providing unsurpassed safety solutions to the communities they serve makes them a leader in their industry, and everyone at RCR is proud to continue our partnership,” said Mike Verlander, president of RCR. “Jesse is a talented young racer that aligns with Whelen’s core mission and values. He has been a great ambassador for Whelen both on and off the track, and we look forward to achieving more together in 2026.”

With Connor Zilisch, who has dominated the NASCAR Xfinity Series season with 10 wins this year, moving to the NASCAR Cup Series next year, this seemingly clears the path for Love to assert himself as a dominant force in the series in 2026.

If the California native can pile up the wins, as his good friend Zilisch has in 2025, he'll likely have multiple offers to move to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2027. But it all starts with Saturday's race at Martinsville, next week's Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, and the body of work that Love can showcase in 2026.