NASCAR Xfinity ace to make Super2 cameo in Adelaide

American rising star Jesse Love is set to make his Dunlop Super2 Series debut in the final round of the 2025 season at the bp Adelaide Grand Final.

The 20-year-old Californian will pilot the #57 Holden Commodore ZB to be run by Image Racing, with Love's NASCAR Xfinity Series sponsor Whelen Engineering also coming onboard.

Love is currently fighting for the Xfinity Series crown, and is one of four drivers going for the championship this weekend at Phoenix. Previously, he was crowned the 2023 ARCA Series champion, winning 10 of the 20 races.

This is a deal that has been years in the making for Image Racing owner Terry Wyhoon, who was on the verge of bringing out a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion for Adelaide two seasons ago.

"I'm friends with Richard Childress, and a good friend of mine Andrew Dickerson, who is a crew chief over there for RCR," Wyhoon explained to Supercars.com.

"I've been trying to put something together for a couple of years, in fact we almost brought Kyle Busch over two years ago. There was a bit of media stuff that he had to do back in the states which stopped that from happening.

"Since then we've been looking for the right replacement, and young Jesse is a ripper kid. He's made it to the Championship Four in Xfinity, and is going to Cup next year, so we thought we'd run the idea past him.

"Ever since we talked to him about it a few months ago he's just been keen to get here, and keen to drive a Supercar."

Love will complete a short test program to get up to speed in the Erebus-built ZB Commodore, and will complete a full day of testing at a former Super2 staple in Mallala Motorsport Park in the week leading up to Adelaide.

Wyhoon confirmed: "He's going to test on the Monday prior at Mallala which is all approved by Supercars.

"We had the option of going to The Bend as well, but I feel that Mallala will be a better suited place for him to learn the car. A lot of stop-go, learn the braking, I think it'll be quite good there for him to experience that.

"We're going to have a day at Mallala, we may even have some of the Tuesday yet, so it's going to work well I feel."

It's not the first time that an international driver has made an appearance in the Dunlop Super2 Series in Adelaide, with former The Grand Tour test driver Abbie Eaton making an appearance in 2019 for Matt Stone Racing.

Despite Love's prowess, which included becoming the youngest-ever champion of a NASCAR-sanctioned series when he won the ARCA West Series aged just 15 in 2020, Wyhoon is keeping expectations in check.

It will be a busy weekend as he gets up to speed with both Supercars machinery and the Adelaide Parklands Circuit, with the final round of the season the only four-day event of the Super2 season.

"I think he's smart enough and good enough not to cause any headaches. He will definitely enjoy himself, and who knows where he's going to end up?

"He has no expectations. He knows he's not going to win the race, but he might surprise a few people.

"As long as he enjoys himself, the level they run at and the amount of racing he does, it's unfortunate that they can't get to spend a little bit more time, and it's going to be fairly rushed.

"Monday some laps at Mallala, Wednesday a track walk, and Thursday in the car. I'll be rapt if he finishes in the top 15, but again no expectations. Just enjoy it, and tell us what you think."

Love is the second confirmed NASCAR star to take on the streets of Adelaide, with 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric to pilot a third Tickford Mustang in the Repco Supercars Championship finale.

Tickford's junior star Rylan Gray will enter the final Super2 round with a 147-point lead over teammate Lochie Dalton, and will wrap up the title with a race to spare if he finishes ahead in the opening race of the weekend.

The final round of the 2025 Dunlop Super2 Series will be held at the bp Adelaide Grand Final from November 27-30. Tickets are on sale now. International fans can watch both Love and Cindric's cameos via SuperView.