Jesse Love Scores First Win of 2026 in Chaotic NASCAR O’Reilly Series Race at Gateway

RPW COLUMN BY: Steven Brien / RPW – MADISON, ILL.– Jesse Love passed dominant polesitter Carson Kvapil with 16 laps to go and drove away to score his first win of 2026 in Saturday night’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Nu Way 225 Sauced by Blues Hog at World Wide Technology Raceway.

“Eventually one of these opportunities is gonna be there, and I’m going to freaking take it, which we freaking did tonight,” Love said after climbing from his No. 2 Chevrolet. “I love St. Louis, I got my first national midget win across the street.”

Love led 70 laps to earn his first victory of the season.

Sheldon Creed finished second and took the points lead in the Chase.

“Really proud of how our night went,” Creed said after exiting his No. 00 Chevrolet. “Cool to be the points leader, but this thing’s far from over, and we just need to keep showing up and doing a good job.”

Sam Mayer had a strong run to finish third, while Taylor Gray was fourth. Kvapil led a race-high 105 laps but settled for fifth.

Parker Retzlaff finished sixth, followed by Brent Crews, Sammy Smith, Kyle Sieg and Jeb Burton to complete the top 10.

Justin Allgaier finished 13th and surrendered his points lead for the first time since COTA in March.

“That just fuels the team,” Allgaier said. “We just need a little bit of things to go our way, and we’ll be right there.”

The first caution of the night came out on Lap 13 when Gray spun in turn two while battling Rajah Caruth for ninth place.

Kvapil led every lap in a dominant stage-one performance to score his third stage win of the season.

Corey Day finished second, followed by Allgaier, Austin Hill and Love. Creed, Crews, William Sawalich, Mayer and Retzlaff also earned stage points.

During the ensuing pit cycle, a massive pileup occurred on pit road after Sawalich checked up in front of a line of cars. The checkup sent Caruth and Nick Sanchez spinning into Crews during his pit stop.

Fortunately, all pit crew members involved were able to walk away uninjured. Jeremy Clements, Dean Thompson, Anthony Alfredo, Sammy Smith, Ryan Sieg, Brandon Jones, Patrick Staropoli, Jeb Burton and Harrison Burton were also involved.

The incident brought out the red flag for an extended cleanup, with pit entry blocked.

Hill suffered a loose wheel and was forced to pit on Lap 69 while running inside the top five, losing a lap in the process.

Alfredo’s left-front tire then exploded, forcing him to pit road and bringing out another caution.

Love passed Kvapil on a restart with 12 laps remaining in stage two and drove away to win his fourth stage of the 2026 season.

Mayer was second, followed by Kvapil, Creed and Sawalich. Allgaier was sixth, Day seventh, Retzlaff eighth, Smith ninth and Ryan Sieg 10th.

Lavar Scott brought out the yellow on Lap 127 when he spun while racing Brandon Jones for position.

With 47 laps to go, Day got into Sawalich while battling for a top-five position in front of Allgaier in turn two. The two drivers had made contact the previous week at Darlington, causing Sawalich to crash out of the race.

Sawalich got his revenge by door-slamming Day on the backstretch, sending Day spinning off the nose of Allgaier and into the inside wall head-on in a violent impact. Sawalich and Allgaier both sustained damage, while Day’s night came to an end.

The seventh caution came out with 30 laps remaining when Brad Perez spun in turn one, collecting Josh Bilicki and Joey Gase.

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series returns next Friday night as the Chase continues at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Nu Way 225 Sauced by Blues Hog

Worldwide Technology Raceway

Madison, ILL.

Saturday September 12, 2026

1. (2) Jesse Love (C), Chevrolet, 180.
2. (3) Sheldon Creed (C), Chevrolet, 180.
3. (18) Sam Mayer (C), Chevrolet, 180.
4. (11) Taylor Gray (C), Toyota, 180.
5. (1) Carson Kvapil (C), Chevrolet, 180.
6. (19) Parker Retzlaff (C), Chevrolet, 180.
7. (10) Brent Crews (R), Toyota, 180.
8. (12) Sammy Smith (C), Chevrolet, 180.
9. (16) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 180.
10.  (20) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 180.
11.  (9) Rajah Caruth (C), Chevrolet, 180.
12.  (17) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 180.
13.  (5) Justin Allgaier (C), Chevrolet, 180.
14.  (28) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 180.
15.  (15) Brandon Jones (C), Toyota, 180.
16.  (8) William Sawalich, Toyota, 180.
17.  (21) Patrick Staropoli, Chevrolet, 180.
18.  (30) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 180.
19.  (22) Brennan Poole, Ford, 180.
20.  (24) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 180.
21.  (32) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 180.
22.  (13) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 180.
23.  (31) Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, 180.
24.  (33) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 180.
25.  (25) Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 180.
26.  (26) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 180.
27.  (34) Joey Gase, Ford, 180.
28.  (29) Brad Perez, Chevrolet, 179.
29.  (6) Austin Hill (C), Chevrolet, 179.
30.  (27) Lavar Scott (R), Ford, 179.
31.  (23) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 168.
32.  (35) Austin J. Hill, Chevrolet, Electrical, 153.
33.  (4) Corey Day (C), Chevrolet, Accident, 133.
34.  (14) Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, Accident, 48.
35.  (7) Harrison Burton, Toyota, Accident, 48.
36.  (36) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 0.