Many drivers boast about their talent. Very few seem comfortable talking about when theirs was almost taken away. B. J. McLeod did exactly that, recalling during his early career days how a timid run in a WKA kart nearly ended his career, and what followed was a hard reset that still shapes him today.

A lesson in survival that mirrors the fight to preserve racing itself

In conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr., B. J. McLeod, the co-owner of Live Fast Motorsports, sat down to recall how he got into racing.

“If you ever drive like that again, we will never be back,” cites McLeod, echoing the thoughts of his father, Darwin “Gator” McLeod. This wasn’t said lightly or even twice. From this moment, McLeod realized this was the switch, when racing stopped being something he was doing and became something he had to earn.

Just days before, he admits, “I got used up pretty bad and was way too timid.” And we all know in pack racing, hesitation doesn’t just cost positions, it invites contact.

So his father’s response brought in the much-needed correction.

“They took me to a dirt track… they said, You don’t finish, find somebody and run over them. Start something,” said McLeod. “I was like, I just, I didn’t wanna do none of that, right? But my dad was trying to teach me how to be tough and to make things happen.”

The lesson wasn’t about wrecking someone, but was about removing fear. And that’s when it all changed.

Bringing us to his racing present, McLeod states, “You’ve got to be pretty aggressive and take holes just like we see on Sunday now. I did it in a clean way, but I was still aggressive and made it known that I wasn’t gonna be pushed around.”

And maybe that is why this story feels bigger than just one driver. Because when the conversation is about racing, whether it’s about a little kid learning how to drift or a track that’s fighting to survive, the reality is that you either show up to compete or you’re simply out. And it is because of these exact values that these dirt tracks have contributed to NASCAR’s grassroots. But with such tracks under threat, the question remains: who will then impart such values to the racers?

The threat of the disappearing classroom

NASCAR’s current structure makes it clear that the foundational tracks are in no way optional. The sport’s rebranded NASCAR Local Racing Series is officially positioned as a “critical entry point for emerging drivers” and a “cornerstone of NASCAR’s driver development pathway.” This pipeline, developed by NASCAR, extends deep down into local racing cultures, with the Youth Series operating more than 60 quarter-midget tracks nationwide.

These environments are where racing values are taught. Managing control during simultaneous corner entry, how to maintain line discipline under distress from both sides by other drivers, and evasive decision-making under pressure are all important aspects of racing that these tracks teach drivers.

Some big names have come through the ranks racing at similar tracks. Joey Logano began on quarter midgets at age six. So did Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, and Justin Allgaier. Even Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell went through quarter-midget and karting circuits. Even Jeff Gordon first showcased himself as a USAC midget and Silver Crown champion before transitioning.

So the threat is massive. You remove or threaten these tracks, and the sport doesn’t just lose its nostalgia, it loses its primary training ground.