Jesse Love scores first NASCAR O’Reilly Sequence win of 2026

Defending NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence champion Jesse Love earned his first win of the 2026 season Saturday at Gateway, going again to victory lane for the primary time in 25 races.

Love earned the fourth win of his NOAPS profession after shifting Carson Kvapil up the hill with 17 laps to go and clearing him for the lead off of Flip 2 with 16 laps remaining. Love held off Darlington winner Sheldon Creed to win for the primary time this yr. 

“Simply needed to put ’em on the sprint,” Love instructed CW Sports activities. “It has been actually laborious, however I knew if I preserve my grit, if I preserve my tenacity, if I preserve my work ethic… finally, one among these alternatives goes to be there and I’ll frickin’ take it.”

Love is fourth within the standings and solely 16 factors again of Creed for the factors lead as he searches for a second championship. 

Creed, who completed runner-up to Love, will depart Gateway because the collection factors chief, making it the primary time since Feb. 28 at Circuit of the Americas {that a} driver apart from Justin Allgaier is the collection factors chief. Creed leads Allgaier by three factors going into the Sept. 18 Chase race at Bristol, the third occasion of the nine-race postseason. 

Allgaier was working within the high 10 when his No. 7 Chevrolet was broken after contact with William Sawalich and Corey Day. Allgaier clawed his approach again to a Thirteenth-place end.