BJ McLeod and Matt Tifft are teaming up to form a race team in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The duo announced Oct. 23 they have acquired a charter from Go FAS Racing, which announced it will scale back to a part-time operation in 2020.
McLeod and Tifft will partner with Joe Falk, who had partial control of the original charter from GFR.
McLeod, who currently owns a three-car Xfinity Series team, recently brought his organization to the Cup Series. McLeod and Garrett Smithley have combined to make 12 starts in his No. 78 Chevrolet this season.
While it is currently unknown the exact shape this new partnership will bring to the McLeod operation, it is another step up the ladder for the owner-driver as he looks toward the future.
“NASCAR’s new business model that will come to fruition in 2022 with the NextGen car makes our vision possible,” the release stated. “We are committed to being a staple in the sport for many years to come.”
Excited to share we’re going @nascar Cup Series racing in 2021! More news to come! pic.twitter.com/GEf1tDNsYU
— BJ McLeod (@bjmcleod78) October 23, 2020
While it is also unclear the role of Tifft in the partnership, it will be his first foray into NASCAR ownership. Tifft, a former driver himself, was sidelined after suffering a seizure in the garage area at Martinsville Speedway in October 2019. Tifft has yet to climb back behind the wheel of a racecar since.
Still, the partnership with McLeod has roots for Tifft, as he made his NASCAR debut in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series in 2014 driving a McLeod-owned truck.
Drivers, sponsors and a car number were not disclosed in the announcement.
About the author
Never at a loss for words, Zach Gillispie is a young marketing professional from North Carolina who writes and talks about racing on the side. Since joining Frontstretch in 2018, Zach has served in a variety of roles. Currently, he pens the NASCAR 101 column, a weekly piece covering the basic nuts and bolts of the sport. In his free time, you can find Zach in the great outdoors, cheering on his beloved Atlanta Braves or ruthlessly pestering his colleagues with useless statistics about Delma Cowart.
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Unless Hendrick surprises us, Corey LaJoie may be without a ride, unless he goes to Spire or Starcom drops Quin Houff. If McLeod drives for his own team any, this will be about as close to an independent as we’ve had in awhile. I wish McLeod and Tifft good luck and hope they’re at least on par with MBM. We’re probably only looking at 27 or 28 truly competitive cars next year. Lots of teams hoping to be the next FRM.
Now, THIS hearkens backs to the old days when all of the sudden a surprise new team comes in from out in left field. It does my old heart good to see a new outfit come into the mix.