JESSE LOVE RECALLS KYLE BUSCH REMINDER AFTER GATEWAY WIN

Jesse Love described feeling emotional after a calendar reminder referencing Kyle Busch appeared on his phone before NASCAR's return to Darlington Raceway. Love, who drives for Richard Childress Racing, said he had set the reminder after the spring Darlington race so he would remember to ask Busch for advice on tackling the track. He told reporters in St Louis that the notification "hit me like a ton of bricks" because he was no longer able to make that call. Love made the comments in a post-race interview after winning the Nu Way 225 at World Wide Technology Raceway, an event marking NASCAR's first visit to the St Louis area since Busch's death. The win also ended a 25-race winless streak for Love.

Love said he had wanted guidance from Busch, a fellow Richard Childress Racing driver, on how to "figure out" Darlington, a circuit regarded as one of the most difficult for drivers to master. According to figures cited in the report, Busch recorded one win, four top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes across 28 races at the track, including an eighth-place finish at the 2025 Southern 500. Love's own outing at the first Darlington race of the 2026 season, held on 21 March, brought a 10th-place qualifying position but an eventual finish of 11th. He said he missed being around Busch, describing him as someone who "didn't get enough credit for how kind he was".

Love's most recent Darlington race also proved difficult, as he opened the Chase there with a fourth-place start, an eighth-place finish in his stage, one lap led, and an eventual finish of 13th. He made his comments about Busch during a press conference tied to his Gateway victory. No further races or tributes were confirmed in the material provided.