TALLADEGA, Ala. — In the last few years, it’s safe to say Richard Childress Racing has built a reputation of being a drafting track goliath in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Austin Hill and Jesse Love have both staked their claims at these race tracks, respectively, and this weekend looked no different after Love scored the pole for Saturday’s (Oct. 24) The Progress Group 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
In a bizarre twist of fate, the No. 2 struggled to get up front and stay there while a brigade of JR Motorsports, Haas Factory Team and Hendrick Motorsports drivers all held strong in the top spots of the train around the top lane.
“I realized after stage two that I’m not doing anything today and I’m just gonna sit in line and never leave the top,” said Love. “Try to grab the right rear when I could but just fall in line and ride.”
Love also didn’t score well in the stages while championship foe Justin Allgaier took a major chunk out of his deficit.
“It worked out in our favor. Obviously, to come out of here with a top five, great stage points, cut the deficit in half for the chase,” said Allgaier. “We did all the right things.”
Love didn’t view the day as a total loss as he did manage to sneak by the No. 7 at the line. While it is only a single point, it could make a huge difference for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“Once I realized that and I saw Sammy (Smith) needed a dancing partner, I just jumped down there,” said Love. “If I could push him to win, that was gonna be huge for the points.”
The two drivers leave Talladega separated by 19 points, and confidence is high in Allgaier’s corner as he’s the defending winner at the next two tracks on the schedule.
“When you go back to a place you’ve won at over the last 18 months or so and know that those are important key races right now, you know that puts a little bit of a target on your back,” said Allgaier.
“I feel like confidence is a bit of an illusion. It is what you think it is,” said Love. “I feel clean, calm, cool, collected, all ready to go for whatever challenges are ahead of us and ready to put my best foot forward.”
Love heads to Martinsville Speedway with five career O’Reilly Series starts at the track. He has a sole top-10 finish at The Paperclip, a ninth-place finish in his first start there in 2024.
His average finish is 18.6, ramping up the pressure on the reigning champion to perform and defend his crown.
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