For a moment, it looked like Jesse Love might lock himself into the Championship 4 with a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Unfortunately for the Richard Childress Racing driver, despite leading 22 laps and scoring a lot of stage points, that’s not how the story ended.
After losing the lead to Connor Zilisch just before the final caution of the race, he lost an additional spot on pit road to Aric Almirola.
On the restart, he was desperate to make up lost track position and mount a challenge for the win, but he never got back to the front.
He ended up side-by-side with Nick Sanchez in the battle for third in a back-and-forth struggle that lasted several laps. As a result, Justin Allgaier and Corey Day passed both drivers.
After the race, a frustrated Love approached Sanchez to discuss their fiery battle on track. Love was clearly annoyed with how hard Sanchez was side-drafting him, while Sanchez repeatedly told him that they ‘were racing for the win.’
At one point, Love commented, “That’s why you crash in half these f****** races.”
The contentious conversation ended with Sanchez grabbing Love’s shoulder, and Love responding with a chest tap before walking away.
“Touch him again,” a Big Machine Racing team member warned as Love exited the tense scene.
Love and Sanchez explain what happened
Afterward, both drivers shared their perspectives with The CW. Love leaves Las Vegas 20 points above the cutline.
“It’s kind of three things,” explained Love. “One is the past experiences with Nick. Two is the reputation and his track record, and three is the situation that obviously took place on the race track. We about crashed four times on the straightaway side drafting each other, and then he put it on my door four laps in a row until I about crashed. We both lost a spot, and yeah, it’s obviously frustrating.”
More than anything else, Love was disappointed with the shot at a huge victory that slipped away, and gave credit to veteran driver Justin Allgaier, who came over and talked to the young racer on pit road.
Sanchez has a different take
Nick Sanchez, Big Machine Racing
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
But if Love is looking for an apology, Sanchez doesn’t seem keen to offer one.
“I guess he’s mad about the way I was racing him,” Sanchez said in his own TV interview. “But I mean, I was racing him no different than the way he was racing me. On the straightaway, side-drafting me, and doing all those things.
“Last time I checked, we’re up front racing for a win. My boss Scott Borchetta hired me to do just that. I understand he’s racing for a championship. I’m racing for a win and fifth in points.”
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