(Courtesy of Richard Childress Racing) Jonathan Fjeld Thu, October 29, 2026 at 6:18 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cleetus McFarland Press Conference at Talladega Superspeedway, Oct. 23, 2026.
WELCOME, N.C. — Like a bald eagle soaring down the backstretch at Talladega Superspeedway, historic NASCAR team Richard Childress Racing and enthusiast-turned-racer Cleetus McFarland are pairing up to run the ARCA Menards Series full-time in 2027 .
The team that propelled Dale Earnhardt to superstardom and had success at the track the driver loves to exclaim over the radio – even when racing at the 2.66-mile superspeedway itself – will give McFarland his first full season in professional stock car racing.
"This is a dream come true," he said. "Ever since I got behind the wheel with RCR, I've wanted more. The goal has always been to become the best race car driver I can be and running the full ARCA Menards Series schedule gives me that opportunity. Richard Childress and everyone at RCR believes in me and having the support of a legendary team gives me a ton of confidence to focus on learning everything I can about stock car racing. I'm ready to get after it every week."
McFarland rose to prominence as a YouTube star showing off his adventures with cars, including at his track, the Freedom Factory. This season, he made his foray into NASCAR with starts in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, in addition to more ARCA Menards Series starts.
McFarland nearly won at Talladega in April, just losing in the tri-oval. Now, with RCR in 2027, he'll get a chance at redemption in the No. 33 Chevrolet he'll race full-time. He'll have Robert Strmiska as his crew chief, leading RCR's return to ARCA.
"Cleetus has an undeniable passion for racing and a work ethic that has impressed everyone at our organization," said Mike Verlander, president of Richard Childress Racing. "Cleetus is a perfect fit for RCR. He's earned this opportunity and we're looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish over the course of a full season. Pairing Cleetus with Robert Strmiska gives him the support of a talented leader who is equally passionate about racing."
RCR guided Ty Dillon to an ARCA Menards Series championship in 2011 on the strength of seven wins and 16 top-10 finishes in 19 races.
RCR is on the ground floor of McFarland's expanded presence in NASCAR. At Talladega, he hinted at potential NASCAR-related activities at the Freedom Factory , the Florida racetrack he owns and operates.
McFarland said NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar recently offered advice about racing at superspeedways. Over dinner, Hocevar explained how trucks get unsettled when around one another, particularly in tight drafting situations.
McFarland praised Hocevar for embracing content creation while competing at NASCAR's highest level. The two have collaborated on videos and McFarland believes Hocevar's willingness to edit his own content gives fans a more personal connection to the driver.
McFarland has gotten within a step below the Cup Series, notably at Nashville Superspeedway. He spun during the race and drew attention from the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who leaned in his window post-race and jokingly asked if he "was dizzy yet."
McFarland finished 35th, six laps down , in what was an improvement from his debut in April at Rockingham Speedway .
He returned to NASCAR competition later that summer at Michigan International Speedway for the Craftsman Truck Series race that he gave the command for before racing .
It's unclear when McFarland will make his next NASCAR national series start. However, with the deal signed for 2027 with RCR, it likely won't be long.
Source: Sports
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