RICHMOND, Va. – To jumpstart his new direction for the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Vinnie Miller will depart JD Motorsports with Gary Keller and join B.J. McLeod Motorsports for the final six races of the season beginning with Saturday afternoon’s Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Miller, a rookie in the Xfinity Series this season has also inked a multi-year deal with McLeod’s Mooresville, N.C.-based team which will see him compete a majority of the races in the team’s flagship No. 78 Chevrolet Camaro full-time through the 2020 season.
The 20-year-old transitioned to the Xfinity Series after running a limited schedule last year for MDM Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. His steep learning curve this season has failed to produce the results the Metamora, Mich. native had been hoping for.
After 27 races, he has suffered eight DNFs (did not finish) and sits 27th in the championship standings.
Miller’s final ride at JD Motorsports ended after 91 laps Friday night when his No. 01 Chevrolet team suffered an engine failure in the Go Bowling 250.
Miller earned a season-high 17th twice at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway respectively.
“We just thought it was in our best interest,” Miller told CATCHFENCE.com.
“There was a little miscommunication in running the Roval, so that’s how that deal came about. We were thinking about possibly moving on next year. Johnny (Davis) and B.J. (McLeod) are good friends and they just decided to do the deal early (and) were excited to move on.”
Despite shifting rides near the end of his freshman season of competition, Miller says he’s excited about hitting the reset button and building a new relationship with B.J. McLeod Motorsports.
“I’m excited about the new opportunity,” added Miller. “It’s a multi-year deal, so it’s nice knowing that I’ll have a job driving race cars for two years and I’m thankful for the opportunity and going to make the best of it.”
Miller says he’s grown closer to McLeod since the experienced owner-driver has been running select races in JD Motorsports’ fourth car, the No. 15 Chevrolet.
“I started talking to him (B.J. McLeod) about halfway through the year, just as a friend,” explained Miller. “We became very good friends. We share a lot of the same interests, do a lot of the same stuff in our free time like go out on Lake Norman and hangout.
“I didn’t know anything about this deal until it was presented to me and it just all kinda came together so quickly and it’s moving forward, and everything seems well, I’m just ready to get going.”
McLeod told CATCHFENCE.com Friday night, that there may be a few races where Miller splits time in the team’s second car, the No. 8 Chevrolet, but a majority of the races, he’d be in the No. 78, including Saturday’s Xfinity Series debut at the Charlotte road course.
McLeod also said his intentions are to field two full-time teams next season, while running a third car on a limited basis in select events. Ray Black Jr. who drove for the team Friday night at Richmond is hunting dollars to potentially be Miller’s full-time teammate next year.
An official announcement on Miller’s transition is expected early next week.
JD Motorsports declined to comment on who will replace Miller – but sources say the team has a plethora of drivers who will complete the team’s full-lineup including the No. 15 entry through Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway in November.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
