- Martin sides with McFarland’s debut but it didn’t exceed his expectations.
- McFarland is seeking NASCAR’s approval to race on superspeedway.
- Freddie Kraft says McFarland surprised him in ARCA.
Cleetus McFarland may not have the backing of the NASCAR garage, where drivers and insiders have questioned NASCAR’s driver approval process, given his limited experience in stock cars. Yet, he appears to have earned the approval of veteran Mark Martin.
During the ARCA race at Rockingham on Sunday, McFarland secured his first top-five finish in NASCAR, crossing the line in P4. On the same day, he made his debut in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Racing Series with Richard Childress Racing at Rockingham. Despite hiccups, penalties, and a spin, he kept his nose clean, avoided taking out others, and finished P32, six laps down, after starting P33.
McFarland is seeking approval to race at Talladega
For now, the YouTuber turned NASCAR driver has set his sights on securing approval for the Talladega race. Danny Lawrence, vice president of O’Reilly Auto Parts Series operations at Richard Childress Racing, said NASCAR will weigh the full picture before taking a call. The absence of live pit stops during the race could factor into that call, along with other boxes the sanctioning body had hoped to see ticked.
Lawrence added he would not be surprised if NASCAR asks for another outing before giving McFarland the green light for Daytona and Talladega, where races can get dangerous for someone as inexperienced as McFarland.
Some within the garage believe NASCAR may want McFarland to take the green at Kansas before clearing him for a superspeedway run at Talladega. The call for approval is expected on Tuesday.
Martin said McFarland delivered what was expected
A supporter of McFarland’s entry into NASCAR despite noise from the garage and beyond, Martin pointed to the YouTuber’s fanbase as a draw that could pull more eyes to the sport and boost viewership and attendance. From what he has seen in ARCA, Martin also believes McFarland can handle a car.
After Rockingham, Martin stood by that view. He noted that McFarland did not go beyond expectations but ran a clean race, which was enough for a driver with limited experience. Speaking to the Door Bumper Clear crew, Martin said,
“The best thing about Cletus is his interviews. I mean, at least he’s coming out and saying, ‘Oh, this is way harder than I thought.’ I mean, he’s fantastic. That’s all fantastic. As far as the race goes, he didn’t exceed my expectations. I expected him to run about like he ran.”
“I said on social media yesterday, this place is a lot harder than Daytona. And it is. You don’t have any idea what it takes to run in the middle or the latter part of the pack at Rockingham. So he still got over his skis multiple times, but his driving talent saved it. Many other drivers would have wiped that car out.”
The run had its share of moments. On Lap 4, a move put his car at the bottom of a three-wide run into Turn 1. The car stepped out, he gathered it, but lost several positions. Then on Lap 49, Blake Lothian spun in Turn 2 ahead of him. As the car drifted down the track, McFarland slipped to the apron and missed the No. 55 Chevrolet by inches.
On Lap 206, his No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet broke loose in Turn 3, slid to the bottom, and spun back into traffic, bringing out the seventh caution of the day.
Freddie Kraft said McFarland must learn how to race
Driving fast and racing smart are not the same thing, and on the latest episode of Door Bumper Clear, Freddie Kraft pointed out the same thing when he said, “I think he can drive. He’s got to learn how to race.” That’s because car control is only part of the job, while decision making, awareness, and restraint shape the rest in racing.
In ARCA, McFarland caught him off guard. Kraft expected a run near the top 10. Instead, McFarland ran closer to the front and pushed toward a top five. That, in Kraft’s view, is where he fits, a level where he can compete and learn at the same time.
The O’Reilly start brought things back to earth. Kraft said anyone expecting more there missed the mark, as the field is deeper, the pace rises, and the margin for error tightens. An early moment summed it up. On Lap 3, when McFarland went low in a three-wide run, the move signaled trouble. Kraft pointed to it as the one mistake to avoid, a crash at the start.
That moment spoke volumes. For much of the race, McFarland stayed out of sight, which served him well. He stayed out of trouble and brought the car home. The next step lies in finding pace, picking lanes, and making passes when the door opens.
