The end of the NASCAR season quickly approaches, but teams have remained relatively quiet about next season's plans. Saturday morning, two drivers confirmed their racing plans for 2026.
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Both Jesse Love and Justin Allgaier confirmed that they will remain with their respective teams next season while speaking to media members at Talladega Superspeedway. Love will drive the No. 2 at Richard Childress Racing for a third consecutive season while Allgaier will drive the No. 7 at JR Motorsports for an 11th consecutive season.
Love also noted that he hopes to run some more Cup Series races next season, provided the opportunity presents itself. He has made five Cup starts with Richard Childress Racing and has posted a career-best finish of 24th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As an Xfinity driver, Love has spent 63 races behind the wheel of the No. 2 Chevrolet. He has delivered two wins — one at Talladega and one at Daytona — while making the playoffs both seasons. He has also posted top-10 finishes in more than 60% of his starts
Allgaier joined JR Motorsports in 2016 after two seasons in Cup. He has remained with the team ever since while scoring 25 wins and a championship. He currently ranks ninth all-time in Xfinity wins with an opportunity to move up to sixth with four more wins.
Allgaier has the talent to accomplish this, but he will have to adjust to a change after the season. Crew chief Jim Pohlman will move to Richard Childress Racing to join Kyle Busch and the No. 8 team.
Who will replace Pohlman? Allgaier doesn't have this answer. He also doesn't want the search to begin until after the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. He and Pohlman first have plans to cap off their partnership with a second consecutive championship.
"There's nobody who wants to win the championship as much as he does," Allgaier said on Saturday. "And so, I think that helps me. It gives me that comfort.
"We're not in a lame-duck situation where he's going to another Xfinity Series team or going to work with another Xfinity Series driver. You know, he's 100% committed to going and winning a championship this year. That's encouraging for me, and we all want to send him off with that championship as well."
