BJ McLeod Craves Victory After Atlanta NASCAR Cup Appearance: “I Want a Trophy”

Neha Dwivedi | 29/06/2025
NASCAR Cup Series driver BJ McLeod (78) speaks with reporters during media day at Daytona International Speedway.

In December 2024, BJ McLeod and his team, Live Fast Motorsports, confirmed their return to NASCAR Cup Series action for 2025, via X. Last season, after scaling back to a part-time, five-race campaign, the No. 78 team retained that approach in 2025, opting to enter seven Cup events.

Their schedule included the four superspeedway races at Daytona and Talladega, the Charlotte race, and both the races at Atlanta. Following his Saturday run at Atlanta, McLeod appears determined to build momentum over the remainder of his limited schedule.

Speaking to Frontstretch after bagging a P16 finish at the 1.54-mile oval, McLeod set his sights on a long-term goal. He said, “All I can tell you for sure is I’m going to try to win a NASCAR race until I’m 50. So, I’m 41 right now, and I’m not quitting anytime soon. That is, without a doubt, for sure.

“What I’m going to do, what kind of competitive equipment I’m going to try to get in to make that happen next year or even into this year, that’s up in the air. I can’t decide for sure if it’s Trucks or Xfinity. But I will be in something competitive a couple of times a year for a long time.

“So, I got to get a plan together and figure out what I want to do and what I feel, what group I feel best with, and just what makes the most sense because I want a trophy, man… I need a trophy. So, we’re going to figure out how to get one.”

 

Being the driver of a single-car team, McLeod mentioned the value of a top-20 result, stating it boosted the morale of the team. He even credited his crew for their commitment, acknowledging that the modest-sized Live Fast Motorsports group goes above and beyond in the garage.

While McLeod acknowledged their race pace typically holds up, he conceded that qualifying has often been their tough spot. However, this time, the No. 78 team logged a three-quarters of a second improvement over their previous qualifying run at Atlanta, a significant step in the right direction.

Inspired by these gains, McLeod expressed confidence that a breakthrough win is within reach if the team continues on its current track.

Post Edited By: Abhishek Ramesh
Atlanta Motor Speedway BJ McLeod Echo Park Speedway Live Fast Motorsports

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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