Jesse Love wins NASCAR Xfinity Sequence Championship – Aric Almirola wins Homeowners’ Title on Saturday night time at Phoenix Raceway.
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Jesse Love turned within the final season bookends, profitable the opening race of the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence 2025 schedule at Daytona, then closing it out with the largest win of his younger profession to assert the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence Championship Saturday night time at Phoenix Raceway.
Jesse Love Wins Championship
The 20-year-old Californian needed to beat his finest pal, the season’s ten-race winner Connor Zilisch, to assert the career-changing victory and title. Love finally handed the JR Motorsports driver Zilisch for the lead with 24 laps to go on the desert one-miler after which needed to maintain off veteran Aric Almirola after the Joe Gibbs Racing driver additionally bought round Zilisch with eight laps remaining
The feelings had been unmistakable as Love climbed out of his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, the smoke nonetheless rising behind on monitor from the celebratory donuts he carried out in victory. He instantly gave his father Duke an enormous, lingering embrace – the sentiment between the 2 palpable and unmistakable. Love completed the season with two wins, 9 prime fives, 22 prime tens, and 4 poles.
“I simply really feel so clear, and relieved,” stated Love, whose margin of victory was 0.861-second. “It’s been a troublesome 12 months for me and I’ve put a lot work into it and other people like my dad and [driver coach] Scott Velocity and my entire quantity two workforce labored simply as exhausting for my dream as I’ve for my very own.
“It actually hasn’t set in but. All these feelings, it doesn’t really feel actual, doesn’t really feel actual in any respect,” Love stated, including of the shut contest with Zilisch, “He’s my finest pal in the entire world however not once we’re racing one another. We race one another exhausting however truthful. … He ran a extremely nice race tonight, however my automotive was simply higher tonight.”
Aric Almirola Wins Proprietor’s Title
Almirola was virtually as emotional in celebrating the Homeowners’ Championship for Joe Gibbs Racing. The previous full-time NASCAR Cup Sequence driver has stayed within the sport, racing part-time for the Joe Gibbs Racing workforce, formally incomes a place within the house owners’ championship with a victory at Las Vegas within the Playoffs.
Almirola’s 17 races within the JGR No. 19 Toyota had been essentially the most among the many six drivers who mixed to drive it this season. Almirola earned all three wins for the automotive and scored 11 top-ten finishes.
“It’s a workforce effort and I’m simply so grateful for Coach [Gibbs] and the Gibbs household,” stated Almirola, a three-time winner in a 12-year full-time profession within the NASCAR Cup Sequence that led to 2023.
“That is actually, actually nice. I’ve by no means gained a championship. That is my first championship, and it isn’t about me, however I used to be part of it and so happy with our group and everybody who helps us.”
“I’m so grateful to be part of that and ship that to Joe Gibbs Racing.”
Connor Zilisch Has an Unbelievable Rookie Season
Zilisch’s third-place end and the dominating season he turned on this season within the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was sufficient to earn Rookie of the 12 months honors, however that was of little comfort within the speedy moments after the checkered flag.
“Nothing to hold our heads about,” stated Zilisch, who turned essentially the most profitable rookie in collection historical past with a document 18 consecutive top-five finishes, 20 top-ten and 19 top-five finishes as a part of his ten-trophy effort. “We gave it our all immediately and it doesn’t take away from something we did this 12 months. We had a hell of a 12 months. That is simply going to sting slightly bit.”
“I left my coronary heart out on the monitor.”
As for his finest pal Love, Zilisch was form even within the heartbreak,
“I’m very joyful for him, he works exhausting at it, however I got here right here to win, and it nonetheless doesn’t make it any higher.”
The opposite two of the 4 championship eligible drivers, Zilisch’s JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil completed fifth and thirteenth, respectively. The defending collection champion Allgaier, gained a stage and led a race finest 83 of the 200 laps – considered one of six leaders on the night – however was by no means capable of reclaim the lead after dropping it throughout a pit cease with 50 laps remaining.
“He did all the fitting issues,” Allgaier stated. “They rose to the event and we didn’t.”
Pole-winner Brandon Jones, who drives the No. 20 JGR Toyota, completed fourth, adopted by Allgaier. Taylor Grey, who gained the race’s first stage, completed seventh in one other JGR Toyota, adopted by Haas Manufacturing facility Staff driver Sheldon Creed, Love’s RCR teammate Austin Hill, and JGR’s Justin Bonsignore.
