NASCAR is not only about speed, it’s also about the bonds that fuel the sport, even when the competition’s fierce. Dale Earnhardt and Neil Bonnett were proof of that. In the 1980s, these two tore up tracks, pushing each other to the edge, but off the asphalt, they were brothers. Fishing trips at Earnhardt’s farm, filled with duets and lakeside roughhousing, showed a friendship that ran deeper than any rivalry.
Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon shared a different kind of bond, one that shaped NASCAR’s modern era. When Johnson joined Hendrick Motorsports in the early 2000s, Gordon, already a star, became his mentor. On the track, they fought tooth and nail, racking up seven Cup titles between them. Johnson admits those “hard as hell” duels strained their friendship, especially during tight points races, but the respect never wavered.
These friendships show NASCAR’s heart: drivers can battle like warriors and still have each other’s backs. The sport thrives on that balance, where competition sharpens bonds instead of breaking them. Well, two more great friends, Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love, battled for the win at Pocono, with the latter feeling disheartened, especially being outpaced by his buddy to the finish line.
Jesse Love’s near-miss against Zilisch
Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love stood on the sidelines at Pocono Raceway, watching his buddy Connor Zilisch spin donuts after snagging the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250. Love, who finished second, opened up to Frontstretch about the race’s pivotal moment.
“I don’t know because we really weren’t going a long run. I could like make due on restarts such but on the long run, it got really really tight. If it would’ve been a couple laps shorter or if we didn’t get tight on that long run then I say yes because I thought the 16 was a really good job of keeping the 88 behind him but once that caution came out and it was heads up between me and the 88 had to find another gear and I was just thinking about any part of the corner that could maximise this better and try to just you know suit up. I really thought I had it and then it just felt like I couldn’t enter the corner at the same speed as he could,” he said.
“It stings because I was the bridesmaid”
Mixed emotions for @jesselovejr1 after finishing second to best friend @ConnorZilisch at Pocono. pic.twitter.com/zQj7EQzfrr
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) June 21, 2025
The race’s turning point came with 13 laps left. Chase Elliott and Justin Allgaier, who’d led 48 laps combined, tangled in Turn 1 on a restart, with Allgaier slipping up and nudging Elliott. Both dropped back, and Love’s No. 2 Chevy surged to the lead. He held off Zilisch’s No. 88, building a gap as laps dwindled. Love’s car shone on restarts, but long runs tightened it up, making it tough to fend off Zilisch. A final caution forced one last restart, and Zilisch pounced, passing Love with five laps to go to win by 0.437 seconds.
Love’s regret was palpable, not just for the loss, but for the bragging rights at stake. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more focused in my life I was just in such a zone trying to get back to him because I don’t want to go back home and every dinner this week hear that he beat me from himself so unfortunately we have to deal with that,” he said. Their friendship, born in karting at seven or eight, is NASCAR’s worst-kept secret. From ARCA’s 2023 Watkins Glen thriller, where Love snatched a last-corner win from Zilisch, to Talladega’s 2025 crash, where Love tearfully checked on Zilisch, their rivalry’s fierce but rooted in respect.
Off the track, they’re thick as thieves, trading jabs on social media and co-hosting Shake N Bake Sports on YouTube with Daniel Dye. A “prom-style” photo Zilisch posted had fans chuckling, capturing their playful bond. Pocono wasn’t just about a trophy—it was about pride. Love knew Zilisch would rib him mercilessly, and his focus was razor-sharp to avoid that fate. “I really thought I had it,” Love said, but Zilisch’s corner-entry speed was the difference, leaving Love to face his friend’s teasing.
Their dynamic mirrors NASCAR’s great friendships of competitive fire tempered by loyalty. Love’s second-place finish, his fourth top-five of 2025, keeps him in the Xfinity playoff hunt, but the sting of losing to Zilisch lingers. As he gears up for the next race, Love’s got one goal: flip the script and give Zilisch a taste of his own medicine.
Zilisch’s win marks a special event for Dale Jr.
Connor Zilisch’s Pocono win wasn’t just a career milestone—it was a moment shared with Dale Earnhardt Jr., his stand-in crew chief. Qualifying ninth with a 54.63-second lap, just 0.42 off Chase Elliott’s pole, Zilisch leaned on Junior’s calls to navigate the 100-lap race, clinching his first oval victory.
Post-race, Zilisch told Media about their bond, “Dale’s an awesome guy. You know, he’s a shy, sometimes awkward guy, but, you know, he’s really cool, and he’s got such a great heart, you know. You think a guy like him would be too cool for school sometimes or would maybe look at some people and think differently, but he is just the most normal down to earth guy you love to meet.”
Junior, filling in for suspended crew chief Mardy Lindley, brought a Hall of Famer’s calm to the pit box, even tossing tires during stops. He continued saying, “I could go to him for anything, and when I text him, I’ve never had a text go through where he didn’t respond within 20 minutes. So, having a guy like that, just so willing to help all his drivers… Everybody at Junior Motorsports is awesome.”
Zilisch’s win, beating Love by 0.437 seconds, marked Junior’s first crew chief victory, a rare feat. But more than anything, the teenager would’ve liked beating his best friend on the track, securing his first oval win of 2025.
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