Cleetus McFarland Answers his Critics With a Super Late Model Racing Plan

Cleetus McFarland has heard every critic. He’s read every comment. And frankly, he doesn’t care. The YouTube sensation turned grassroots racing personality is putting his money where his mouth is in 2026, and he’s bringing one of NASCAR’s most storied organizations along for the ride.

In early March 2026, Garrett Mitchell, better known to his millions of followers as Cleetus McFarland, announced a part-time deal with Richard Childress Racing to compete in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

A guy who built his name doing burnouts and street car builds at his own track in Florida is now aligned with the organization that once fielded cars for Dale Earnhardt Sr.

That’s not a small thing. RCR doesn’t hand out deals to content creators for the exposure. There’s real intent here, and McFarland is backing it up with real dollars. He’s commissioned a custom Pro/Super Late Model from Port City Race Cars, built by respected fabricator Mark Rette.

1. Why McFarland’s NASCAR Journey Has NASCAR Veterans Fired Up

Here’s where it gets interesting. Drivers like Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Brad Keselowski have publicly questioned NASCAR’s approval process, and McFarland’s name keeps coming up in that conversation. These are guys who spent years grinding through local tracks, Late Model Series, and regional circuits before anyone handed them a top-tier opportunity. They logged thousands of laps before a sponsor dollar ever came their way. McFarland’s early NASCAR appearances were rough. Multiple wrecks, legitimate questions about racecraft, and an audience that was more entertained than impressed. That’s the honest truth. But here’s the other truth, he kept showing up. That persistence is either admirable or aggravating, depending on who you ask. Veterans see a system being bypassed. McFarland’s fanbase sees someone doing exactly what they’d want to do if they had the chance.

2. What McFarland Is Actually Building

It’s easy to reduce this story to “YouTuber buys his way into NASCAR,” but that framing misses something important. McFarland’s Freedom Factory, a former NASCAR-sanctioned oval track he purchased and restored in Ocala, Florida, has become a legitimate venue for grassroots motorsports. He’s put real work into building something that serves the racing community, not just his subscriber count. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races scheduled for 2026 will include events at Freedom Factory, which adds an interesting wrinkle. McFarland racing on his own track isn’t a vanity project, but it’s a statement about what he believes that track can be for the sport.

3. The Bigger Question McFarland Is Forcing NASCAR to Answer

NASCAR is navigating a genuine tension right now. On one side, you have a sport with deep traditions, drivers who climbed the ladder the hard way, and a fanbase that values earning your seat. On the other, you have a media landscape where audience size is currency, and McFarland brings an audience NASCAR desperately wants to reach. His presence in the O’Reilly Series will draw eyes that wouldn’t otherwise be watching. That’s valuable. But if his on-track performance doesn’t improve, it also invites mockery and that reflects on the series, not just on McFarland. Three races. That’s what 2026 looks like for McFarland in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Three chances to make a case that he belongs. Three opportunities to either quiet the noise or confirm every concern his critics have raised. He’s said himself that the criticism “doesn’t affect him.” Maybe that’s confidence. Maybe it’s armor. Either way, the only rebuttal that actually counts will come from his lap times. The car is being built. The deal is signed. Richard Childress Racing is in his corner. Now McFarland has to drive.

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