By: Mitchell Breuer

There has been no driver in the ARCA Menards Series West that has had a better start than Jesse Love. The 15-year-old has not finished worse than second in the first four races of the season, and captured a win at the Utah Motorsports Campus and Irwindale Speedway.

This success has catapulted him to the lead in the standings, with a 17-point advantage over Blaine Perkins, which raises the question- is it too early to start focusing on the championship?

While the season may feel like it has just started with only three races ran since the series resumed action, after this weekend.The West will be through six events in what is scheduled to be a ten-race schedule.

So, does this mean Love is beginning to shift his focus to the championship picture? Not exactly.

“I like looking at the points because we’re on the top of it,” Love said. “So, I’m not going to try and sway it one way how it is a different way. Obviously, you always look at the points. It’s a big deal winning that championship and I think that anybody that tells you, oh, we don’t look at the points is probably lying to you. Points are important. You don’t really want to play with the points.”

In his opinion, he believes when you race focusing solely on points, it is actually when you run into trouble instead of increasing your chance at the title. With that logic, Love is going to continue to treat the season as it has been, which if things continue like the way it has, maybe a smart move.

“We just go for wins and obviously, if we’re leading points it’s a good confidence booster, I guess,” Love said. “Overall, you just boost the team morale a ton and every time you go to the racetrack we’re happy we’re the points leader and it’s going to stay like that and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year, just keep on adding to that and winning races, and that’s the best way to keep the points in my opinion. You just win races and you do your job and the points take care of it like that.”

Love, and the rest of the drivers in the West will resume action this Friday at Evergreen Speedway before traveling to Douglas County Speedway on Saturday. Both races will be broadcasted on NBC’s streaming service, TrackPass.