Eight poles, 23 top 10s, 20 top fives, and 10 wins, Connor Zilisch’s rookie season was nothing short of electric, convincing many, including team boss Dale Earnhardt Jr., that a championship was inevitable, more or less. But when the dust settled at Phoenix Raceway, it was Jesse Love who stunned the field, soloing all three of the JR Motorsports Chevrolets to claim the crown.
Zilisch was gutted. As he sat dejected on the tarmac beside his car with teary eyes, fans’ heartbreak quickly turned to outrage, branding Love a “fluke/undeserving champion” who merely benefited from the playoff format.
Yet even amid the disappointment, Earnhardt chose composure over controversy. He delivered a blunt but fair verdict, acknowledging that while the loss stung, Richard Childress Racing and its No. 2 driver earned the title fair and square.
Did the Playoff Format Gift Jesse Love the Championship? Dale Earnhardt Jr. Weighs In
Love, 20, captured the 2025 NXS title in stunning fashion, overtaking the series topper Zilisch in the closing laps at Phoenix. The No. 2 RCR Chevrolet was strong on long runs, while Zilisch’s No. 88 JR Motorsports, uncharacteristically, faded with a lack of pace when it mattered most.
The No. 2 driver’s triumph marked a perfect bookend to his season. After opening the year with a victory at Daytona International Speedway, he didn’t return to the victory lane until the finale at Phoenix. In doing so, he mirrored Truck Series champion Corey Heim, who also began and ended his 2025 campaign with wins in his respective series.
“It was heartbreaking.” Indeed, it was, as Earnhardt put it. Though he’s been vocal about his frustration with the playoff format, the two-time Daytona winner showed grace in defeat. Even after seeing all three of his drivers, including reigning champion Justin Allgaier, come up short, he refused to diminish RCR and Love’s achievement.
He stated, “I wouldn’t want to say anything on this show that would rub Jesse Love the wrong way, RCR the wrong way, Danny Lawrence the wrong, all of these people that are at RCR they’re like family to me.”
“As frustrating it is to lose, having three teams against one, they won. And the race played out naturally,” the veteran said. He then detailed the scene one by one, revealing why the No. 2 was the deserving team on Saturday over his No. 88.
“The No. 2 was fast from the moment they unloaded. The car was a little bit off on the first stage, but they got it in, and they had amazing pit stops,” said, before highlighting the clever pit road strategies that earned RCR every millisecond they needed for the win.
“I mean, they were doing four lugs, maybe three on the left, but hey, as long as they got all the lugs on the car at the end of the race, I mean, they call it fair. They took advantage of every single corner and anywhere they could cut and gain an advantage.”
Earnhardt also pushed back against the unwarranted hate against the youngster. “I can’t take anything away from them, it wasn’t a fluke, they ran great all night, they passed us, drove by and won the race. Under the current format we run this year, they did it.”
In the end, Earnhardt’s response wasn’t about excuses or what-ifs; it was about respect. Racing, as he reminded everyone, doesn’t always reward the favorite or the best, but it always rewards those who rise when the pressure peaks. And on that night in Phoenix, Love and RCR did precisely that, whether helped by the format or not.