AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Jesse Love turned in the ultimate season bookends, winning the opening race of the 2025 schedule at Daytona then closing it out with the biggest win of his young career to claim the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship on Saturday night at Phoenix Raceway.

The 20-year-old Californian had to best his best friend, the season's 10-race winner Connor Zilisch, to claim the career-changing victory and title. Love ultimately passed the JR Motorsports driver Zilisch for the lead with 24 laps to go at the desert one-miler and then had to hold off veteran Aric Almirola after the Joe Gibbs Racing driver also got around Zilisch with eight laps remaining.

The emotions were unmistakable as Love climbed out of his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, the smoke still rising behind

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