MADISON, Ill. — Defending O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Jesse Love gave his title hopes a major boost by snapping a 25-race winless streak with a victory in Saturday night’s Nu Way 225 Powered by Bobcat and Sauced by Blues Hog at World Wide Technology Raceway.
The Richard Childress Racing driver overtook Carson Kvapil with 16 laps remaining and went on to a 0.896-second victory over Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed in the second race of the nine-race Chase playoff format. Love also won Stage 2 and led four times for 70 laps.
The victory, his first since winning the 2025 season finale at Phoenix, was the fourth of his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career and moved him up two positions to fourth in the championship standings.
He is 16 points back of the new championship leader Creed, who now holds a three-point lead over Justin Allgaier and a nine-point advantage over Kvapil.
“It’s been really hard, but I knew that if I keep my grit … if I keep my work ethic, not just keep it, but improve it, then eventually one of these opportunities is going to be there and I’m going to freaking take it,” Love said. “I love St. Louis. I got my first national Midget win across the street with Chad Boat. I had my first Truck race start here, and got beat here last year here, I had a good car. I’m just so proud of my team. I want to give all the glory to God for putting so many great people in my life. Man, I’m just so grateful.”
Kvapil, who won the pole earlier in the day, dominated the opening stage as the JR Motorsports driver led all 48 laps. He was followed by fellow Chase drivers Corey Day of Hendrick Motorsports and Allgaier, respectively.
The biggest movers in the stage were Chase drivers Sam Mayer of the Haas Factory Team, who gained nine positions to finish ninth after starting 18th, and Viking Motorsports’ Parker Retzlaff, who climbed nine positions to 10th after starting 19th.
Chaos ensued as the field pitted between stages. A 10-car pileup at the entrance to pit lane, which included Chase drivers Brandon Jones and Rajah Caruth, led to a red-flag period of nearly eight minutes.
When action resumed, Kvapil remained out front for the opening 33 laps of Stage 2 before Love passed him with 12 laps remaining. Love held on to win the stage while Mayer slipped past Kvapil with five laps remaining to take second.
Kvapil, who led three times for a race-high 105 laps, took control once again in the final stage. He held the lead for 26 laps, but Love continued to close the gap. He eventually made a strong inside pass and cleared Kvapil with 16 laps remaining. He maintained a lead of nearly one second the rest of the way and was never challenged.
Love was followed by seven Chase drivers, giving the championship contenders a sweep of the top eight positions. Creed, Mayer and Taylor Gray of Joe Gibbs Racing and Kvapil rounded out the top five, in order. Chase drivers Retzlaff, Brent Crews of JGR and Sammy Smith of JR Motorsports completed the top eight.
