2025 NASCAR Xfinity Champion Jesse Love wins in Phoenix ahead of Zilisch

Jesse Love was crowned 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion at Phoenix Raceway, completing a season that began with a victory at Daytona and ended with the most important title of his racing career. The 20-year-old Love passed Connor Zilisch in the final 24 laps to take the win and the championship in his #2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

Saturday night's race decided both the drivers' championship and the owners' championship, which went to Joe Gibbs Racing thanks to Aric Almirola and his #19 Toyota. The result ended a historic season for Zilisch, who, with his 10 wins and a record 18 consecutive top-five finishes, settled for the runner-up position.

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Final Battle Between Best Friends

The decisive moment came when Love caught Zilisch on lap 176 of 200. The crucial pass happened on the inside of turn 2, where Love used better traction off the corner to complete the move that would give him the championship.

"He's my best friend in the whole world, but not when we're racing each other," Love stated about Zilisch. "We race hard but clean. I knew he was going to block me. I had to get on the gas and get my nose ahead. He ran a great race, but my car was better tonight."

Love admitted the race didn't start easily. "We were really bad at the start. I couldn't believe how bad we were," the champion acknowledged. "Danny [Stockman, crew chief] put one of his magic adjustments in there and we came to life. I feel so clean and relieved."

Love's emotion was evident as he climbed out of his Chevrolet, immediately seeking a hug from his father Duke in a scene that reflected the family work invested in this moment. Love closed out 2025 with two wins, nine top-five, and 22 top-ten finishes in the 33-race season, along with four pole positions.

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Almirola Earns First Career Title with JGR

Almirola completed his job for Joe Gibbs Racing by passing Zilisch in the closing laps to take second place. The 41-year-old driver, who ran 17 of the 33 races in the #19 Toyota, secured all three of the car's wins and 11 top-ten finishes.

"It's a team effort and I'm so thankful for Coach [Gibbs] and the Gibbs family," expressed Almirola. "This is really cool. I've never won a championship before. This is my first championship and it's not about me, but I was a part of it and I'm very proud of our organization."

Zilisch Closes Record Season Without the Ultimate Prize

Zilisch's season will be remembered as one of the best for a rookie in series history. His 10 wins placed him among the few drivers to reach double-digit victories in a single campaign, also matching the record of four consecutive wins set by Sam Ard in 1983 and Noah Gragson in 2022.

The regular season champion also set the record of 18 consecutive top-five finishes, ending with 20 top-five and 23 top-ten finishes in 32 races. His average finish of 8.0, eight pole positions, and 1,013 laps led complemented a historic campaign that included dominance on road courses.

"I came into this weekend telling my whole team we had to give 100%," explained Zilisch. "We fought all day and threw everything we had at it. Unfortunately, our WeatherTech Chevrolet didn't have what we needed."

JR Motorsports had placed three drivers in the Championship 4: Zilisch, the defending champion Justin Allgaier, and Carson Kvapil. Allgaier finished fifth despite leading 83 laps, more than any other participant, but lost position on his final pit stop with 50 laps remaining.

"I wanted to send Jim Pohlman off with another championship," expressed Allgaier about his crew chief, who is moving to the Cup Series next year with Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing. "He's been an incredible part of this journey, he helped me get my championship last year."

Love Wins Title Despite Inferior Season to Zilisch

The 2025 season stats tell a fascinating story about how the playoff format can change everything in one night. Zilisch dominated virtually every major statistic during the previous 32 races: 10 wins compared to Love's two, 1,013 laps led versus the champion's 297, and an average finish of 8.0 compared to Love's 11.1.

The difference was so pronounced that Zilisch led more than three times as many laps as Love during the season. With 20 top-five finishes against his rival's nine, Zilisch had built the best statistical year for a rookie in the recent history of the series.

Phoenix was decisive. Love found the perfect rhythm when it mattered most, passing the season leader in the crucial moments to confirm that in the NASCAR playoff format, one race can determine 33 weeks of work.

Brandon Jones, the pole winner, finished fourth in his #20 JGR Toyota, followed by Allgaier in fifth. The podium was completed by Love, Almirola and Zilisch, while Kvapil finished thirteenth to place fourth in the final championship standings.

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The 200-lap race had six different leaders with 15 lead changes, but in the end it was Love who executed when it mattered most, confirming that in the NASCAR playoff format, regular season consistency doesn't always guarantee the final title.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Results - Phoenix Raceway