The NASCAR Xfinity Series resumed from last year with another race decided by an overtime finish. On Saturday evening, Jesse Love took the white flag during the season's first overtime attempt as the field crashed behind him.
Uncertain if the race was officially over, Love slowed down under caution to conserve fuel, in case the yellow flag was issued just before the white flag. Over the radio, Love's team exclaimed, "Hell yeah, baby, I think you’ve got it." With that assurance, Love completed one last lap before celebrating with donuts in the Daytona infield.
Daytona signals the beginning of Love's second year in the Xfinity series, and this victory is his second superspeedway win and second overall in the series, with his first win occurring last year at Talladega.
Initially, the race seemed to be Austin Hill's to lose. Driving the No. 21, he was on the verge of securing his fifth February Daytona victory and was just one win away from achieving the most drafting track victories in the Xfinity Series. Hill dominated the first two stages before a mechanical issue forced him out in the third stage.
At about the same time as Hill's exit, Kris Wright experienced a "miscommunication" regarding his pitstop braking strategy, causing him to collide with Josh Bilicki during the final green flag pit stop.
With the frontrunner out, the final 30 laps presented an opportunity for the rest of the field, and before the sixth caution with eight laps to go, Love took the lead.
Love held off Sheldon Creed in the No. 00 leading up to the penultimate lap. An accordion effect occurred when Connor Zilisch's front bumper and Creed's rear bumper weren't properly aligned during a push, resulting in the race's seventh caution and setting up a green-white-checker finish.
Two laps later, Love received the white flag moments before a similar crash occurred behind him.
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