NASCAR Denies Cleetus McFarland Entry for Talladega Race

YouTube star must gain more experience on short tracks before approval for superspeedway event.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:18am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway, with the cars and track broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of vibrant red, blue, and yellow colors, conveying the raw energy and complexity of high-speed stock car racing.NASCAR's denial of Cleetus McFarland's Talladega bid exposes the challenges YouTube stars face transitioning to professional motorsports.Talladega Today

NASCAR has denied Cleetus McFarland, a popular YouTube personality, approval to compete in the upcoming O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, made his series debut at Rockingham Speedway last Saturday but failed to impress NASCAR officials, who want to see more from him on short tracks before allowing him to race at the high-speed Talladega oval.

Why it matters

Cleetus McFarland has built a large online following through his automotive-focused YouTube channel, and his attempt to transition to professional NASCAR racing has generated significant interest from fans. NASCAR's decision to deny him entry to the Talladega race highlights the challenges faced by internet celebrities trying to break into the sport and the high standards they must meet to gain approval to compete at NASCAR's top levels.

The details

After making his O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Rockingham Speedway, where he started 35th and finished 32nd, McFarland had hoped to compete in the upcoming race at Talladega Superspeedway. However, NASCAR officials announced on Tuesday that they would not approve McFarland to race at the high-speed superspeedway, citing the need for him to gain more experience on short tracks first. McFarland acknowledged in a Facebook video that he spun out numerous times during his Rockingham race and that NASCAR wants to see him run more ARCA Menards Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events before considering him for Talladega.

  • McFarland made his O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut on Saturday, April 5, 2026 at Rockingham Speedway.
  • NASCAR announced its decision to deny McFarland's entry for the Talladega race on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The players

Cleetus McFarland

A 31-year-old YouTube personality whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, who is attempting to transition to professional NASCAR racing.

John Probst

NASCAR Executive Vice President, who stated that NASCAR is a fan of McFarland's work but wants to see more from him on short tracks before approving him for a superspeedway race.

Richard Childress Racing

The team that fielded the No. 33 Chevrolet for McFarland's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Rockingham Speedway.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We'd like to see more out of Cleetus in the short tracks. So we're not saying no, but there is more that we would like to see out of Cleetus before we would approve him for Talladega.”

— John Probst, NASCAR Executive Vice President

“Ladies and gentlemen, I wanted you to hear it from me first that I have been denied by NASCAR to run Talladega in my O'Reilly car. Made my O'Reilly debut last Saturday with hopes of getting approval for Talladega, but they did not see enough.”

— Cleetus McFarland

What’s next

NASCAR has indicated that they are not ruling out McFarland for Talladega in the future, but they want to see him gain more experience on short tracks, including in the ARCA Menards Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, before considering him for the high-speed superspeedway.

The takeaway

Cleetus McFarland's attempt to break into NASCAR's top levels highlights the challenges faced by internet celebrities trying to transition to professional motorsports. While NASCAR appreciates McFarland's popularity and what he has done for the sport, the sanctioning body is holding him to the same high standards as other aspiring drivers, requiring him to prove himself on short tracks before allowing him to compete at a high-speed superspeedway like Talladega.