- After being denied approval for Talladega, McFarland will start at Nashville.
- McFarland is prepared to put in the work with RCR to deliver stronger results.
- Fans have cautioned the YouTuber about Nashville on his return to the Tier 2 series.
The YouTuber-turned-driver was earlier denied approval to compete at Talladega for the upcoming race weekend, but after showing pace in the ARCA Menards Series East with a top-five finish at Rockingham, NASCAR has opened the door again. He is now ready to return to action in May, stepping into the second tier of the sport.
McFarland will make his second start in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30, for the next stop in his deal with Richard Childress Racing.
Cleetus McFarland says he will train and put in time
The 31-year-old confirmed the news in a post on social media on Monday afternoon, laying out his plans as he prepares to get back behind the wheel. The Nashville race will also be his first outing on an intermediate-style track in the series, having made his debut on the short track at Rockingham Speedway.
The shift in track type will bring a new set of demands, and McFarland made it clear he is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation.
“Want you guys to all come out and see some action. I’m going to be doing a lot of training with RCR, a lot of simulator time. Really looking forward to getting back out on the track in the O’Reilly’s car. A lot of power. Got to dial in my turning left, so come out May 30 at Nashville Superspeedway. It’s going to be a blast,” he said on Instagram.
His entry into the series had already raised eyebrows. McFarland’s agreement with Richard Childress Racing covers three races per year over the next two seasons, but the move caught many off guard, given his limited experience in NASCAR’s national divisions, with only a Truck Series start at Daytona on his resume before Rockingham (O’Reilly Auto Parts).
At Rockingham, he started from P33 and finished P32, but more importantly, he kept his nose clean and brought the car home without incident, avoiding trouble even though upper-tier series races often punish newcomers.
That run, however, was not enough to clear the next hurdle. McFarland had hoped that a clean outing would earn him approval to race at Talladega, but NASCAR opted to hold the line. With limited seat time in stock cars and the nature of superspeedway racing, where packs run tight, and mistakes can trigger multi-car incidents, the sanctioning body chose not to grant him clearance.
Instead, Nashville becomes his next proving ground, forming part of his three-race program with RCR for the 2026 season.
The team confirmed the news on X, posting, “He’s back! The @tommys_express No. 33 will be flying like an Eagle in Nashville on May 30th with Cleetus McFarland behind the wheel.”
Fans react to McFarland’s return
The announcement sparked a combination of caution and support from NASCAR fans. Some pointed to the challenge ahead, noting that Nashville can be unforgiving for drivers still finding their feet.
“Nashville is lowkey a difficult track for someone inexperienced,” one fan wrote.
Others chose to rally behind him. “Be like BIFF. Do It For Dale. Looking forward to seeing Cleetus improvement.👍🇺🇲,” another commented.
A third fan struck a similar tone, saying, “Just like rockingham, that’s gonna be a really hard track. I genuinely hope he does well.”
There were also lighter takes, with one fan adding, “Our boy did good in Kansas… Make sure the oil lines are tight!”
Plenty, however, were simply glad to see him back on the entry list. “Fantastic news 👍🏻,” read one reaction, while another chimed in with, “Hell yeah brother!”
