B. J. McLeod

Brian Jeffrey "B. J." McLeod (born November 17, 1983) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 52 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro for JD Motorsports.

Early years
Early in his career, McLeod was a super late model driver in the Southeast. In 2000, McLeod competed in two Hooters Pro Cup races at Hickory Motor Speedway and USA International Speedway, with a best finish of 31st in the former. The following year, he ran an American Speed Association National Tour race at Fairgrounds Speedway for Herzog Motorsports, finishing 15th. In 2014, he ran an ARCA Racing Series event at Pocono Raceway for Venturini Motorsports, finishing 27th.

Camping World Truck Series
McLeod began racing in NASCAR's top three series in 2010, making his Camping World Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway in the No. 9 for Germain Racing; after qualifying 23rd, he finished 17th. The following year he split time in a partial schedule with his own team, SS-Green Light Racing and RSS Racing. In 2012, McLeod again ran a partial schedule, this time with RSS, Glenden Enterprises and Hillman Racing. For 2013, he focused on his own team and only made one race, the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The following year McLeod served as a part-time start and park driver for SS-Green Light. In 2015, while doing a part-time Xfinity schedule, McLeod again started and parked, this time for his own team. While running a 2016 full-time Xfinity schedule, McLeod came back to the Trucks for one race in 2016, turning in a top-fifteen, lead-lap finish for MB Motorsports at Kansas Speedway.

Xfinity Series
In 2015, he joined Rick Ware Racing at Iowa Speedway for his Xfinity Series debut, retiring after 68 laps due to brake troubles, and was credited with a 36th-place finish. McLeod then proceeded to bounce between different teams, starting and parking and running full races. McLeod in that season ran for RWR, a partnership between SS-Green Light Racing and Young's Motorsports, MBM Motorsports and King Autosport. McLeod took on a full-time Xfinity schedule in 2016, the first full-time schedule in a NASCAR national series. He ran the full schedule with his own B. J. McLeod Motorsports No. 78 car, scoring three top twenty finishes.

In 2017, he has rotated between the Nos. 78 and 8 while taking some races off to give to pay drivers as he focuses on making his team better.

Cup Series
McLeod made his Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2015 Sylvania 300, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet SS for Circle Sport. Two years later, he returned to the Cup Series and Ware for the 2017 Quaker State 400 at Kentucky, driving the No. 51. McLeod has continued to drive part-time in the No. 51 car, recording his first top 30 finish at Kansas Speedway.

In 2019, McLeod joined Ware for his Daytona 500 debut.

B. J. McLeod Motorsports
McLeod started a driver development program, known as B. J. McLeod Motorsports, running late model and K&N Pro Series East events, and fielded rides for drivers like Matt Tifft and Scott Heckert. In 2014, McLeod partnered with Tommy Regan to field a Truck Series team, the No. 45, for Regan at Iowa Speedway; despite initially having to qualify faster than two other trucks to qualify, Wauters Motorsports and the start and park ride of MB Motorsports withdrew, guaranteeing the No. 45 a spot in the race. Regan finished last after ignition problems on lap one.

The team made its Xfinity Series debut at Daytona in 2016, fielding two cars: the No. 78 and No. 99 Fords. McLeod ran the full season in the 78 and ran the 99 part-time with drivers like Todd Peck, Stanton Barrett and Jeff Green. He also ran a third part-time team, the No. 15, in an alliance with Rick Ware Racing, with Peck driving most of the races.

In 2017, McLeod expanded to two full-time teams; originally the plan was for McLeod to drive the 78 and for Jeff Green to drive the 8 car. The team also entered a 99 car with last year's owner points; however, the team is operated by SS-Green Light Racing. McLeod took the first two races of the season off to put Clint King in the car. Later in the season, at Talladega, Green led the team's first laps and scored its first top ten finish. Green, however, would only drive one more race for the team, as McLeod slotted to the 8 car and a rotation of drivers including Tommy Joe Martins, Jordan Anderson, Angela Ruch, Stephen Young, Josh Bilicki, John Graham and Jennifer Jo Cobb drove the 78.

NASCAR
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )

ARCA Racing Series
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )

$1$ Season still in progress $$ Ineligible for series points