RCR NOAPS Race Recap: Chicagoland Speedway

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Showcase Speed and Lead Laps En Route to Third-Place Finish at Chicagoland Speedway

Finish: 3rd
Start: 6th
Points: 2nd

“We had a lot of potential in our No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. I thought we were close, but didn’t quite have enough to be elite tonight. I wish I would have been able to give Chase Elliott a little bit better of a push on the final restart, but overall, I thought our car was pretty close tonight, we just lacked a little bit of something special. Overall, I wish the points day was a little bit better. I was surprised to see we only gained as much as we did to Justin Allgaier, but overall, I’m proud of the effort of everybody — our pit crew kept us in the fight and we had some good restarts at the end there. I would have loved to see what another lap would have done if they (Brandon Jones and Chase Elliott) were side by side, if I could have strung together a really good run or move somebody out of the way. Regardless, it was a good day, we needed one. It’s been a tough last month or two, a lot of stuff out of our control. Glad we could control our own destiny tonight even though we wanted a little bit more.” -Jesse Love

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Team Bring Home Top-Five Result at Chicagoland Speedway

Finish: 5th
Start: 16th
Points: 5th

“Good finish for our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet team. We struggled during the first run, so we made some really big changes on the first stop. The guys did a great job of making the car better. Once we got it close, we had a shot at the win which is all you can ask for in these races. We restarted fourth on the green-white-checkered, but I couldn’t get my tires cleaned up enough. Drove down into Turn 1 and the front tires slid. It took our car about five laps to get going, but then we had a good long run car. The short run speed just wasn’t there. We will go back, look at that, and see what we can do better for fire off at the end of races. That felt like the difference maker tonight, but overall big improvements for everyone on this No. 21 team.” -Austin Hill

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

SM SPEEDWAY SHOTS

Latest articles

Hunter Lawrence Grabs Third Pro Motocross Championship Victory and 450SMX Points Lead on America’s...

The Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, celebrated America’s 250th Anniversary with the longstanding Independence Day tradition that is the 5.11 RedBud National.

TOYOTA RACING – NOAPS Chicagoland Post-Race Report – 07.04.26

Brandon Jones used a strong green-white-checkered restart to make a thrilling last-lap pass on Chase Elliott and win Saturday night's rain-delayed NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Brandon Jones prevails in overtime for thrilling O’Reilly victory at Chicagoland

The 29-year-old Jones from Atlanta, Georgia, led 12 of 201 over-scheduled laps and outdueled Chase Elliott in overtime for his eighth O'Reilly Auto Parts Series career victory and first since September 2025.

Lundgaard’s Statement Leads Arrow McLaren’s Front Row Sweep at Mid-Ohio

Christian Lundgaard made another statement about his worthiness as a top driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Best New Zealand Online Casinos