Kyle Busch Criticizes Cleetus McFarland's Lack of Racing Experience

Busch questions if McFarland is ready for the jump to the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Mar. 7, 2026 at 9:25pm

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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch has criticized social media star Cleetus McFarland's lack of racing experience after it was announced that McFarland will compete in three NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season. Busch pointed out that McFarland has limited ARCA Menards and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series experience, while Busch's 10-year-old son has likely run more races. Bubba Wallace's spotter Freddie Kraft has also voiced concerns about NASCAR approving McFarland to race at this level, citing his crashes in previous events.

Why it matters

The criticism from veteran NASCAR drivers like Busch highlights the concerns over whether McFarland, who has built a large social media following, has the necessary experience and skills to compete safely at the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series level. This raises questions about NASCAR's vetting process for approving new drivers, especially those without extensive racing backgrounds.

The details

McFarland, who has a large social media following, will race in three NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series events this season for Richard Childress Racing. However, he has limited experience, with some ARCA Menards races and just one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, which ended in a crash. Veteran driver Kyle Busch questioned whether McFarland has run enough races, noting that Busch's 10-year-old son has likely competed in more events. Bubba Wallace's spotter Freddie Kraft also criticized NASCAR for approving McFarland, citing his previous crashes, and said he is not ready for this level of competition.

  • McFarland will make his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut in the coming 2026 season.

The players

Kyle Busch

A veteran NASCAR driver who has expressed concerns about Cleetus McFarland's lack of racing experience.

Cleetus McFarland

A social media personality who will compete in three NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, despite having limited racing experience.

Freddie Kraft

The spotter for NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who has also criticized NASCAR for approving McFarland to race at this level.

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What they’re saying

“I mean he just, I don't know. I don't know how many races he's run. Denny Hamlin ran 10,000, right, before he got here. I don't know if Cleetus has run 10 or not, but there's definitely a need to having ample experience.”

— Kyle Busch

“Crash at the Rockingham truck test. Crash Lap 5 of your only truck start. Good enough for me. Approved. I don't blame Cleetus one bit. We'd all jump at the chance to just show up and get approved.”

— Freddie Kraft, Spotter for Bubba Wallace

“We're just lucky the other night that he didn't wipe out the Truck field because when he spun, he went down instead of up and he was running in the top 10 when it happened. … It was just dumb luck that he didn't wipe out half the field. We talk about safety — I'm sure he's a great guy, he seems like a phenomenal person, he's got great car control in the videos I watch, he's not ready for what he's doing. So, you can't approve these people to go out there.”

— Freddie Kraft, Spotter for Bubba Wallace

What’s next

The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season will begin in the coming weeks, and all eyes will be on Cleetus McFarland's debut races to see how he performs against more experienced drivers.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the ongoing debate in NASCAR about balancing the sport's need for new, engaging personalities with the safety concerns of approving drivers without sufficient racing experience. It raises questions about NASCAR's vetting process and whether more stringent requirements are needed to ensure the competitiveness and safety of its events.