Cleetus McFarland to Make NASCAR Debut at Rockingham

YouTube star Garrett Mitchell to drive for Richard Childress Racing with sponsorship from Tommy's Express Car Wash

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:42pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a NASCAR race car in motion, broken down into sharp geometric planes of bright red, white, and blue paint, representing the energy and innovation of Cleetus McFarland's NASCAR debut.A NASCAR debut fueled by speed, technology, and the passion of an online automotive influencer.Welcome Today

Garrett Mitchell, known to his millions of YouTube subscribers as 'Cleetus McFarland', is set to make his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut this weekend at Rockingham Speedway. Mitchell will drive the No. 33 Tommy's Express Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, a legendary NASCAR team. This marks a major milestone for the popular automotive YouTuber as he continues to build his racing resume.

Why it matters

Cleetus McFarland's NASCAR debut represents the growing crossover between online automotive influencers and traditional motorsports. His large and passionate fan base on YouTube will be tuning in to watch him take on the challenge of NASCAR competition, potentially introducing the sport to a new generation of fans.

The details

Mitchell, who owns the Freedom Factory race track in Florida, has previously made starts in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Truck Series. For his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut, he will be driving a Chevrolet prepared by the championship-winning Richard Childress Racing team and sponsored by the rapidly expanding Tommy's Express Car Wash chain.

  • Cleetus McFarland will make his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut on April 3, 2026 at Rockingham Speedway.
  • He most recently made his NASCAR Truck Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in February 2026.

The players

Garrett Mitchell

Also known as 'Cleetus McFarland', he is a popular automotive YouTuber with over 4.6 million subscribers who is making his NASCAR debut.

Richard Childress Racing

The legendary NASCAR team that will field the car for Cleetus McFarland's debut.

Tommy's Express Car Wash

The rapidly growing national car wash chain that is sponsoring Cleetus McFarland's NASCAR debut.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“To have the opportunity to make my NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut with a legendary race team like Richard Childress Racing is a dream come true. It's a huge honor, and I am incredibly grateful to learn under the leadership of Richard Childress, Mike Verlander, Danny Lawrence, and everyone in Welcome, North Carolina. Having Tommy's Express on board for my debut makes it even more special. They're a fast-forward brand that understands speed, performance, and connecting with people, which lines up perfectly with everything we are trying to accomplish.”

— Garrett Mitchell

“We could not be more excited about hitting the track with Richard Childress Racing and Cleetus McFarland. We are humbled to partner with an iconic brand, company, and story such as RCR – our organizations share many of the same mission and purpose. Family-owned, multi-generational, vertically integrated, and on the cutting edge of speed, technology, and execution. We could not think of a better fit. When you add Cleetus McFarland as our driver, you truly have a dream team. Cleetus is not only a skilled driver and motorsports enthusiast, but also a genius marketer with an authentic connection to millions of his fans. We can't wait to bring our shared energy, purpose, and execution to the racing world. Let's Go!”

— Alex Lemmen, Chief Executive Officer of Tommy's Express

What’s next

Cleetus McFarland will qualify and race in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 Presented by Black's Tire at Rockingham Speedway on April 4, 2026. The race will be televised at 2:30 pm ET on The CW Network.

The takeaway

Cleetus McFarland's NASCAR debut represents the growing crossover between online automotive influencers and traditional motorsports. His large and passionate fan base on YouTube will be tuning in to watch him take on the challenge of NASCAR competition, potentially introducing the sport to a new generation of fans.