By Jerry Jordan, Editor
Jesse Love started on the pole, led 156 of 200 laps and held off a hard-charging Sam Mayer by 0.128 seconds to win the Timberland PRO 200 on Saturday night at Phoenix Raceway.
Love won both stages in the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and scored the maximum 75 points available. The victory was the fifth of his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career, his second of 2026 and his second at Phoenix, where he now has six top-10 finishes in six starts. It also stretched his points lead to 36 over Justin Allgaier.
Mayer delivered the drive of the night, starting 35th in the No. 41 Starkey Chevrolet and racing to the runner-up spot, closing to Love’s rear bumper at the finish. Allgaier finished third, Corey Day was fourth and Sammy Smith completed the top five.
Brandon Jones finished sixth, followed by Dean Thompson, William Sawalich, Rajah Caruth and Carson Kvapil. The race featured 18 lead changes among seven drivers and five cautions for 35 laps, including an early caution for weather.
It was a tougher night for several Chase drivers. Sheldon Creed, who ran second in the first stage, faded to 32nd, and Taylor Gray finished 28th after running third in the second stage. Lavar Scott was the highest-finishing rookie in 19th.