All four preseason Frontstretch panelists correctly predicted the 2023 ARCA Menards Series champion, Jesse Love. The Venturini Motorsports driver dominated, winning 10 of the 20 races en route to capturing his third ARCA-sanctioned crown to accompany his two ARCA Menards Series West titles.
Love won the title by a whopping 142 points over Rev Racing rookie Andres Perez de Lara, with Christian Rose rounding out the podium in third. Actor-turned-racecar driver Frankie Muniz finished fourth after leading the points early in the season. Jon Garrett finished fifth in his rookie campaign.
Love’s title margin was the largest since 2018, when the series used a different points system. His ARCA brilliance was not the only storyline to come out of the 2023 season, though. Here’s who and what else stood out.
Top Storyline: Jesse Love’s Dominance
Love’s longest winless streak this season was two races. He won 10 times while only one driver won at least twice (William Sawalich).
Love took the points lead after the fourth race of the season and he never relinquished it. His points lead was so enormous that he clinched it at the penultimate race at Salem Speedway.
Oh, yeah, he won that race too.
He did not have to show up to the season finale at Toledo Speedway to capture the driver championship, but he did, and he delivered Venturini Motorsports the owner championship too.
Love led ARCA with wins, top fives, top 10s, poles, laps led and most lead-lap finishes. And to any naysayers who’d argue Love did not race against tough competitors, it’s where Love won this season that makes his championship even more impressive.
He won at Talladega Superspeedway, 1.5-mile intermediates Kansas and Charlotte Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, road course Watkins Glen International, fast 2-miler Michigan International Speedway and short track Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
In addition, Love won at dirt track DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, 0.375-mile short track Elko Speedway and Salem.
Love’s successes within ARCA – he also has two West titles on his resume – led to a promotion. He’ll take over the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024.
Best Race: Season Opener at Daytona
Daytona had the most entrants of any ARCA race in 2023. The 40-car full field also only had nine DNFs, one fewer than the weather-shortened NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race the previous night, and…
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