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NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race Fans Respond To Jesse Love Breaking Connor Zilisch’s Heart

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
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NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race Fans Respond To Jesse Love Breaking Connor Zilisch’s Heart

Moments after watching his son, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jesse Love, win the circuit championship at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday night, Duke Love started to tear up. 

“It’s a dream come true,” the elder Love told MRN Radio after watching the checkered flag wave, ending the Championship 4 race. “I’m so proud of him.” 

He should be. 

Love passed regular-season champion Connor Zilisch with 24 laps remaining and cruised to his first circuit championship in his second full season. Zilisch, who posted 10 wins this season, faded to P3. After the race, he sat heartbroken at the side of his No. 88 Chevrolet. 

Aric Almirola placed second and secured the Owners’ Championship for Joe Gibbs Racing.  

“It’s awesome,” owner Joe Gibbs said. “We’re going to celebrate this.”  

Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race marked the end of an 11-year run for Xfinity serving as the circuit’s lead sponsor. O’Reilly Auto Parts will assume that role in 2026. 

X (Twitter) Users Respond

Led by Love’s family, fans replied to the 20-year-old driver crossing the start/finish line …

In earlier action at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, driver Trevor Huddleston earned the ARCA Menards Series West drivers’ championship …

Going green for the Xfinity Series title at Phoenix …

Jeb Burton, racing in 16th position, hit the wall on Lap 37, but the field remained green …

Taylor Gray captured a caution-free Stage 1 …

Allgaier, who placed P4 overall, fronted the Championship 4 drivers after the first segment, but not for long …

Zilisch claimed the championship advantage off pit road, while Kvapil fell to P10 …

Allgaier started his move to reclaim the advantage on Lap 60. Racing on the outside, the No. 7 Chevrolet passed Gray along Turn 2 and turn a turn at Zilisch’s lead along Turn 3. It failed, but he kept hounding the leader until passing Zilisch three laps later …

Allgaier earned the 2024 circuit title after leading for just four laps. Through 94 laps and a Stage 2 win Saturday, Allgaier paced the field for 75 rotations …

Following the second stage, the leaders came to pit road and Love’s 12.8-second stop propelled the No. 2 Chevrolet to the lead, followed by Allgaier …

Allgaier reclaimed the advantage on Lap 120, overcoming Love along Turn 1 …

Zilisch: Master restarter …

Despite ranking as the circuit’s second-best defender, according to NASCAR.com, Zilisch couldn’t hold off Love on Lap 176. The 20-year-old started to execute the series-winning move along Turn 2 and completed in along Turn 4 …

With 11 laps to go he led by 001.1 seconds. With nine to go, he extended it by 0.01 seconds and by the end, Love led Zilisch by 10 car lengths …

Love created fireworks Saturday night …

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
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