MOORESVILLE, N.C. — B.J. McLeod and Travis Braden join forces to develop B.J. McLeod Motorsports with Travis Braden, which will be a distinctive short-track racing program.
The joint effort will provide a professional and turnkey, top-performing environment for drivers to develop skills as they climb the racing ladder. McLeod and Braden’s decades of experience in asphalt oval-track racing compliment their mutual goal to assist drivers in reaching their full potential both on and off the track.
The broader scope of what their program offers a direct career path to NASCAR, which separates the team from other programs.
Travis Braden, the 2019 Snowball Derby winner, and NASCAR team owner and former short-track champion B.J. McLeod see the advantages of partnering to bring extensive knowledge and experience that contribute to developing drivers. McLeod, who has tackled the racing ladder hands-on, owns and operates three full-time Xfinity Series teams in addition to co-owning Live Fast Motorsports, a NASCAR Cup Series team that will debut in February.
“I’m looking forward to this endeavor with Travis and the opportunity to return back to where it all started, super late models, which is our roots,” McLeod said. “Our goal is to bring top performing equipment and stellar coaching to enable drivers the opportunity to develop in the sport of short-track racing, and Travis’s hands-on approach and success over the recent years will prove to be very valuable to the team.”
Since age 8, Braden has worked his way up the racing ladder, gaining years of experience while building a foundation for his racing career. Braden has spent recent years competing as a late model standout, collecting wins at marquee events such as the Snowball Derby, Winchester 400 and Kalamazoo Klash.
“I‘ve got a huge desire to expand my involvement in short-track racing for years to come as I pursue the next phase of my driving career, working to compete in NASCAR,” Braden explained. “I want to see this sport continue to grow and watch the next generation flourish. When I came through the ranks, it was hard to progress without having any established names validating me to their audiences. I can help change that now.”
The team will utilize Fury Race Cars.