Love began racing at age five. Early in his career, he drove in the Quarter Midgets of America Series, where he won multiple races and championships before turning ten years old. He then went on to win championships in three different divisions of USAC in the same year, becoming the first driver to accomplish that. At age 13, Love, competing for Naake-Klauer Motorsports, was granted an age waiver to compete in the RPM Pro Late Model Series by Madera Speedway track promoter Kenny Shepherd due to his talent in the 51Fifty Energy Drink Jr. Late Model Series the prior year (in which he won another championship). In 2018, Love drove full-time in the INEX Legend Car Racing Series, winning five of the eight races on the schedule en route to that series' championship. The other series he raced in that year were the BCRA Midget Series and the Hunt Magneto Sprint Car Series, both of whom Love had to apply for an age exception to participate in.[1] Love drove for Keith Kunz Motorsports in the SRL Southwest Tour, a late model racing series, in 2019.[2]
After finishing second in the season-opener at Las Vegas Bullring, Love won his first West Series race in the first of the two races in the doubleheader at the Utah Motorsports Campus road course on June 27. It was just his second start in the series.[5]
Love finished the 2020 ARCA West season with 3 wins and 9 top 5 finishes in 11 races en route to the championship, beating out season-long rival Blaine Perkins. He became the youngest West Series champion at just 15 years, 9 months, and 24 days old.[6][7]
In 2021, Love returned to BMR for his second season in the West Series, and moved from the No. 19 to the No. 16, replacing Gio Scelzi with the team condensing from four full-time cars to two and the No. 19 car being closed down. He also returned to Venturini Motorsports for a nine-race schedule in the main ARCA Menards Series (including all three combination races with the ARCA Menards Series East) as well as one non-combination race in the East Series (at Dover). In both series, he drove the No. 25.[8] He earned his first career win of the season at Salem Speedway, outdueling Ty Gibbs in a restart with 46 laps to go.[9]
On January 3, 2022, it was announced that Love would return to Venturini Motorsports for the majority of the 2022 season, running all of the races where he was eligible.[10] During the season, he earned eight top fives twelve top tens. He would also earn his second career ARCA win at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack, leading every lap in a dominating fashion.[11]
Love driving the number 20 Yahoo car at Daytona in 2023
Love would be upgraded to a full-time schedule with Venturini Motorsports in the 2023 season.[12] That year, Love would have a breakout season, earning ten wins, eighteen top tens, and seventeen top fives. He would ultimately claim the 2023 ARCA Menards Series championship one race early at Salem, after simply taking the green flag.[13]
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
2023
On February 9, 2023, it was announced that Love would run three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races for Tricon Garage, driving their No. 1 truck.[14] At Gateway, Love made his debut in the No. 11 truck due to the original driver, Corey Heim, having an illness. Toni Breidinger would drive the 1 truck for that race. Love would end up finishing in the top ten in 9th. He made his second start of the season at Kansas, finishing 13th.
On October 25, 2023, it was announced that Love would drive full-time for Richard Childress Racing in the No. 2 Chevrolet in 2024, replacing Sheldon Creed.[15][16] He began the season by winning the pole in his first career start at Daytona.[17] He won the first stage and led a race-high 34 laps, before getting involved in a wreck during stage two. He went on to finish the race in 20th. The following week at Atlanta, Love once again won the pole and went on to have a blistering performance, sweeping both stages and leading 157 of the 163 scheduled laps.[18] The race went into overtime after multiple drivers ran out of fuel with two laps to go. Love sputtered his fuel tank on the final restart, and ultimately fell back to finish 12th.[19][20] At Phoenix, he had another solid run, and earned a career best 2nd place finish, only behind race winner Chandler Smith.[21] The following four weeks, he continued a streak of top 10 finishes, including his third career pole at Texas.[22] At Talladega, Love scored his first career win, holding off the field on an overtime restart.[23]
Personal life
Love is the son of Elizabeth and Jesshill Love. Jesshill raced midget cars in his youth[24] and is a real estate investor and lawyer. Jesshill is the CEO of three real estate portfolios in California, former president of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, and the CEO of HomeSmiles, a property maintenance company that supports Jesse's racing endeavors.[25][26][27]
Motorsports career results
NASCAR
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
1973 R. Hutcherson
1974 R. Hutcherson/D. Dayton
1975 D. Dayton
1976 D. Dayton
1977 C. Myers
1978 M. Smith
1979 M. Smith
1980 B. Dotter
1981 L. Moyer
1982 S. Stovall
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