“I’d wreck my mom to win a championship. I’ll wreck your mom to win a championship.” – Tony Stewart once famously declared during a fierce title battle with Carl Edwards, and honestly? That quote still echoes in every hard-nosed pass and last-lap slide job in NASCAR. But what happens when the guy you’re battling for the win is your best friend?
That’s the scenario rising star Connor Zilisch found himself in at Pocono, staring down Jesse Love, his longtime buddy, occasional rival, and frequent road trip partner, for a shot at Victory Lane. The two young guns are carving up the Xfinity Series together, and when helmets are on, the friendship takes a backseat to fierce competition. And this weekend, Zilisch opened up about the strange but strong dynamic they’ve built while chasing the same dream.
Inside the Connor Zilisch – Jesse Love rivalry
The friendship between Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love has grown over the years, with Connor forming a multimedia sports and entertainment company, Shake N Bake Sports, along with Jesse Love and Daniel Dye. The depth of their friendship was highlighted after a scary crash at Talladega, which was ignited by an inadvertent shove from Jesse Love, when Love visited Zilisch in the medical center, visibly upset. “He was crying in there,” Zilisch recalled. “He just wanted to make sure I was okay.”
So, when Connor Zilisch rolled into that late-race showdown at Pocono with Jesse Love, it wasn’t just two drivers. Instead, it was two best friends pushing each other to the limit. With five laps to go, Jesse Love made a small slip coming out of Turn 3. And Zilisch? Well, he didn’t hesitate to capitalize. “It just took one little mistake from Jesse [Love], and I was able to squeeze by without any chaos or contact.” It was a clean move, but one that still stung for Love, who had led the late portion of the race. No matter how hard Love tried, he couldn’t overtake Zilisch. Love eventually finished just 0.437 seconds behind Connor Zilisch.
When asked by Frontstretch’s Dalton Hopkins about what the dynamics are like when racing your best friend, Zilisch was honest. “It’s tough because you don’t want to have to go hang out on Monday and him be mad at me, but at the same time, a win is a win,” Zilisch admitted, explaining how he balances friendship with fierce competition.
While Zilisch admitted that he might take it easy on Love if they were battling mid-pack, race wins are special, and Zilisch will not let anyone get in his way.“If it’s for 5th place, I might be nicer than other guys, but for the win, I’m gonna race everyone like I want to win. That’s the bottom line, and he [Jesse Love] would do the same,” Zilisch explained. That’s the mentality the two drivers go by when it’s crunch time. It’s not about who your friend is. It’s about who gets to the checkered flag first.
Moreover, off-track, they also help each other improve. Zilisch said, “I help him on the road course as he helps me on the ovals… But at the same time, we push each other to be better.” The results of their camaraderie are visible on track as Zilisch collected his third career Xfinity Series victory at Pocono. Moreover, Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch sit in the fourth and fifth positions in the driver standings currently, both eyeing a maiden Xfinity Series Championship.
“I’m gonna race like I want to win”
Race winner @ConnorZilisch on racing his best friend @jesselovejr1 for the win today at Pocono.
Zilisch says that he and Love help each but also push each other to be better and hold each other to a standard. pic.twitter.com/EbgNIZejbT
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) June 22, 2025
At the core, their battles are fierce, but respectful. And if anything, racing each other this hard just might be why both are getting better each week. “He doesn’t want to get beat by me, and I don’t want to get beat by him,” Zilisch summarized. No apologies. No freebies. Just two friends trying to outrun each other to the top. Even Jesse Love jokingly expressed how frustrated he was to have to lose to his best friend, of all people. Love said after the race, “I did not want Connor [Zilisch] to beat me. I’m gonna have to think or hear about it for a long time, unfortunately… Man, that bums me out, off, p—– me off, I’m not gonna lie. We got fast race cars in the position to win.”
Well, the fierce friendship between Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love dominated the headlines after the Xfinity race, but one man who would be the most proud is debutant crew chief Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Connor Zilisch thanks new crew chief for Pocono win
After a dramatic, record-setting NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway, Connor Zilisch stood in Victory Lane and made sure to give credit where it was due. Especially to his crew chief for the weekend, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was replacing Mardy Lindley atop the pit box after the latter was suspended because of a lug nut violation at Nashville.
The 18-year-old driver’s second Xfinity Series win of 2025 was a true team effort. But Zilisch was quick to highlight the impact of Earnhardt Jr. in his debut as a crew chief. “I’ve been dying for this one for a while now,” Zilisch said after the race. “I know it hasn’t felt like that long, but man, I’ve been so close on the ovals lately. I finished second at Charlotte, second at Nashville, and yeah, Dale Jr.’s not so bad on the box. Pretty cool to have him up there. Thank you so much to the entire JR Motorsports team.”
He went on to praise Earnhardt Jr.’s guidance during the chaotic race, which featured a record 10 cautions and constant strategy changes. “It’s pretty funny, he [Earnhardt Jr.] was kicking me in the a– on some of those restarts, giving me some advice. The advice from him is advice well taken from me, so it’s really cool to have him and get him 1-1 with a win as a crew chief. That’s pretty awesome as well.” The Hall of Famer’s experience and leadership were evident throughout the event, as Zilisch climbed from ninth on the grid to lead 34 laps and ultimately held off Jesse Love by 0.437 seconds in a thrilling finish.
The win marked Zilisch’s first oval victory in the Xfinity Series, and this is also Earnhardt Jr.’s first win as a crew chief, making it a historic moment for both. As the series heads into the summer stretch, Zilisch’s success with Earnhardt Jr. on the box has only added to his rising profile as one of NASCAR’s most promising young talents.
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