Dale Jr questions NASCAR veteran’s $40M charter sale

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Dale Jr questions NASCAR veteran’s $40M charter sale

Originally posted on RFKRacingDigest
By Chionia Libania Colaco | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 12:28 PM ET

NASCAR veteran BJ McLeod recently revealed to Dale Earnhardt J. why he sold his Live Fast Motorsports charter to Spire Motorsports for $40 million in 2023. McLeod and Matt Tifft started LFM in 2020 and bought a charter for $10 million.

In a recent appearance on the “Dale Jr Download” podcast, McLeod emphasized that he knew charter values would cross $100 million sometime in the future. However, he didn’t regret selling it at $40 million and cashing out when he did.

When Dale Jr asked him whether there was any hesitation to sell the charter, considering it was his foundation in the Cup Series, BJ McLeod replied:

“It was never a hesitation. Making that transaction made sure that we were always successful in racing as a business. Everybody’s intention when we bought the charter, we totally believe in $100 million plus at some point. We did and always have, and I actually think it’s here right now.”

Does BJ McLeod regret selling his Cup Series charter?

Not one bit. pic.twitter.com/VOkFmym5bn
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) April 16, 2026

Though McLeod loved the Next Gen car and the accelerated growth it brought to NASCAR, driving charter values up within two years, the costs and diminishing performance of Live Fast Motorsports led him to reconsider his involvement.

“2023, we spent more money. We actually spent millions more than we have ever spent, and we run worse, average-wise. And that’s something I’m not about. When we worked harder, spent more money, and went backwards? I’m out,” McLeod concluded.

Besides the operational cost burden, LFM finished only two races in the top 10 over their three-year, full-time run.

Will Dale Jr Ever Field a Full Time Charter for NASCAR Cup Series?

Dale Jr has succeeded as owner of JR Motorsports in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, but Cup is a different ball game. The prices of the Cup charters are steadily increasing and Dale Jr isn’t ready to take on the financial responsibility.

In 2025, when he was asked if he even plans on buying a charter in the Cup Series, he said:

“What would need to happen is an investor, somebody who wants to partner that — I’m not gonna give you $40 million for that charter. I’m not doing that. That’s not something I’m interested in doing. That’s my prerogative. Now, I would invest $5M or $10M in the right situation. $5M, absolutely.”

JR Motorsports has made two Daytona 500 appearances, and Justin Allgaier’s debut in the No. 40 car in 2025 earned a P9 result. With the right investore, Dale Jr could propel the O’Reilly outfit to Cup success.

This article first appeared on RFKRacingDigest and was syndicated with permission.

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