After Daytona chaos, Cleetus McFarland returns to Talladega in NASCAR action

Social media sensation Cleetus McFarland is set to make his return to the ARCA Menards Series at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. After an eventful debut at Daytona that ended early, the famous YouTuber is preparing for redemption at one of the most unpredictable tracks on Saturday, April 26.

Garrett Mitchell aka McFarland will once again partner with Rette Jones Racing for the 76-lap General Tire 200. He will drive the #30 Kenetix Ford, televised live on FS1 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Talladega's unique configuration and its reputation for high-speed chaos offers small-budget teams like Rette Jones Racing, a fighting chance through the draft.

McFarland brings with him a massive online following that has proven to be a marketing win for ARCA. The series returns to one of its most iconic drafting tracks, a 2.66-mile tri-oval where strategy and patience is tested.

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How did Cleetus McFarland fare at Daytona on his ARCA Menards Series debut?

ARCA Series drivers Cleetus McFarland (30), Kyle Steckly (29) and Amber Balcaen (70) wreck during Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona Source: Imagn

McFarland’s first ARCA Menards Series appearance at Daytona in February ended prematurely as he got involved in not one but two separate incidents. Despite showing early pace in his No. 30 Ford, he was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time on multiple occasions. He ultimately finished 30th after completing 17 laps.

The Daytona weekend served as a steep learning curve for the motorsports YouTuber, whose racing resume already includes everything from burnout competitions to drag racing championships. He also took advice from Dale Earnhardt Jr. about his potential strategy.

His next opportunity comes at Talladega in the third race of the 2025 ARCA national calendar. The General Tire 200 will feature a stacked grid that includes names like Jake Finch, William Sawalich, Brenden "Butterbean" Queen, and Thad Moffitt. Notably, Sawalich will be behind the wheel of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, considered a major threat for victory after Gibbs’ recent East Series dominance at Rockingham.

With no qualifying scheduled, starting positions will be determined by 2024 owner points.

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"$5,000 RV challenge": Cleetus McFarland road-trips to Talladega with his crew

As if returning to one of ARCA’s most challenging tracks wasn’t enough, Cleetus McFarland has added his own twist to the weekend’s festivities. The 30-year-old will be road-tripping to the race in a beat-up RV bought on a tight budget. He announced the challenge on Instagram and wrote:

"$5,000 RV challenge begins today, we're road trippin to @talladega to race @nascar this weekend!"

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, the part-time ARCA racer kicked off the $5,000 RV challenge in Charlotte, North Carolina. He explained the outrageous challenge of three competing teams getting $5,000 to purchase an RV, plus an extra $1,000 for camping supplies. The objective is to drive the RVs to Talladega, camp in them all weekend, and race by Friday and Saturday.

Cleetus McFarland leads Team Cleet & Squirrel, one of three crews embarking on the near 500-mile road trip. The other two squads, Team Jackson, Greg Biffle and Mr. Sam and Team Zack and Ty, have also joined the adventure, adding to the chaos.

While some teams lucked out with RVs located just a few miles away, others had to fly out and drive back. The journey creates excitement among fans, capturing the spirit of Talladega’s famously rowdy infield culture.