The reigning ARCA Menards Series champion is headed to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Richard Childress Racing announced Tuesday that Jesse Love, the 2023 ARCA champion and two-time ARCA West champion, will drive full-time for the team in the No. 2 car in 2024.
“We’ve been watching Jesse for a while now and his breakout performance in the ARCA Menards Series was impressive this season,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR, in a release. “We know that he has the talent and determination to win races and compete for championships within RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program. We are looking forward to welcoming Whelen back for another year on the No. 2 program and feel confident that Jesse will be a strong ambassador for Whelen.”
Whelen will return as the primary sponsor, which it served as for all 33 of RCR’s Xfinity starts for the car in 2023.
Love joins the team as an 18-year old, and is now eligible to race on all of NASCAR’s tracks, beginning his 2024 slate with the Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
“I’ve been fortunate to gain a lot of racing experience at a young age, but nothing compares to the opportunity to race for a legendary team like Richard Childress Racing,” Love said in the release. “I have so much respect for Richard Childress and am extremely grateful to be able to race and learn with one of the most successful teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’ve dreamed of racing at the highest levels of the sport since I was a young kid, and the path to the NASCAR Cup Series seems more clear with this opportunity. It’s even more special to be able to represent a company like Whelen who has a long-standing involvement in motorsports and strong focus on building American-made products.”
