When Ricky Bobby needed to win back everything he lost — his family, his pride, his dignity — he had to do it the hard way at Talladega. In Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, he fought through a wrecked car, sprinted to the finish line on foot, and showed that heart matters more than horsepower. The race wasn’t just about a checkered flag. It was about redemption, and Ricky showed the world he still had “that fire in the belly.”
That final moment wasn’t about glory; it was about heart. It reminded everyone why they fell in love with racing in the first place. That spirit, chaotic, stubborn, and full of heart, was alive once again at Talladega. Cleetus McFarland, the YouTube star turned racer, fought through mechanical problems, dodged wrecks, and somehow hauled his wounded No. 30 Ford to a stunning top-10 finish. Like Ricky, Cleetus didn’t have the fastest car, but he had heart, guts, and a whole lot of “shake and bake” energy.
Cleetus McFarland nails a Top-10 at Talladega
Garrett Mitchell, better known as Cleetus McFarland, rolled into Talladega looking for redemption after a tough ARCA debut at Daytona. The day didn’t start smoothly for Cleetus McFarland. He almost missed rolling off the pit lane because he forgot his HANS device. Once on track, things got worse when his engine broke a valve spring just five laps in. The No. 30 Ford, already battling underdog odds, was now running on seven cylinders. It was like racing a horse with a limp.
But Cleetus didn’t quit. With help from his spotter, Kevin Hamlin, he clung to the draft like a goose in flight. Falling out would mean the end, but he stayed tucked in. Every wreck, every mistake ahead, became an opportunity. When chaos struck late, Cleetus dodged wrecks like a veteran. A final lap melee propelled him up to 10th place, earning him the best finish of his short stock car career. After the race, the YouTuber lit up the Talladega night with his trademark humor and heart.
He laughed about how the engine guys at Ilmor popped off the valve cover and found the broken valve spring. “We, about lap five, we broke a valve spring, and Ilmor just came over here, popped the valve cover off. I mean, obviously, you just can’t change that in the race, so they told us, after I pulled in, they said the valve chain’s rattling, go see what it’ll do. My spotter, Kevin Hamlin, just helped me keep the Kinetic number 30 in the draft… We just held on, and then enough people reacted, made mistakes, and we got number 10.”
Was he a bald eagle, a goose or a swan? Cleetus McFarland on his seven-cylinder, 10th-place finish in the ARCA race at Talladega: @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/t0coeVmBta
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 26, 2025
He compared himself not to a soaring eagle but to a group-flying goose. “Sometimes you can’t be a bald eagle. You gotta be a goose. Maybe even a swan,” he joked. Even when the car tagged his fender during a wreck, Cleetus kept it cool: “Tucked one of my wings and just dodged right out of there.” Racing almost the entire event crippled but finishing all 77 laps was no small feat. It was a hard-fought top-10, driven by grit and sheer determination.
Notably, Cleetus’ ride wasn’t just a race; it was an event. NASCAR streamed his in-car camera to their YouTube page, drawing in over 60,000 live viewers. More than 70,000 tuned in during the race to watch the madness unfold through his eyes. When he climbed out of the car, fans swarmed him, cheering like he had won the race itself. Even former drivers like Max Papis and Greg Biffle showed up to give him hugs and praise. “He’s just a bada– race car driver pretending to be a YouTuber,” Papis said.
The social media was also on fire. “It’s hard to keep all those bald eagles caged up. One got out, but my boy still got top 10 on 7!” a fan posted. It highlights how fans were excited and surprised to see Cleetus waving through the draft while struggling with his own engine issues. Another user echoed the sentiments and said, “They all think he is a joker, but he is super competitive. He is a serious driver.” While this might be harsh, but true.
After his poor debut at Daytona, many questioned his skills, abilities, and why NASCAR allowed him to race. But with a fighting performance at Talladega, Cleetus had a redemption. Meanwhile, some users asked for a full-time ride for him. “He needs a full-time ride in the trucks next year,” a user posted. While the Truck series might be far for him but Cleetus hinted at more racing. He mentioned maybe returning to Talladega in the fall ARCA race. No official plans yet, but he also teased possibly running at Bristol later this year.
McFarland pushes Cup drivers to show their real lives!
Away from the track, Cleetus McFarland has a bigger goal: pull back the curtain on NASCAR life. He believes drivers need to be more raw and real online. Speaking at Talladega, Cleetus pointed out how many Cup drivers are missing a big chance. “There’s a major lack of YouTube opportunity in the garages,” he said. Cleetus explained that filming day-to-day work, struggles, and behind-the-scenes moments could connect drivers with fans more than any big-budget show.
“We film all our videos on an iPhone. The same thing I do at my shop could be done in the Cup garage,” he said. Cleetus believes younger fans want authenticity, not just polished PR content. “We all know behind the scenes they’re having some s—show days. We’d love to see it,” he said. He further pointed to his own success — videos of his bad days often perform better than his best ones.
Meanwhile, Cleetus also praised drivers like Daniel Suarez and Carson Hocevar for starting YouTube vlogs. But he wants more. “Once one driver really throws some cool homemade-style YouTube videos up, it’s gonna blow up,” he said. Cleetus doesn’t think it’s about big cameras or expensive crews. It’s about being real. In an era where NASCAR is trying to grow younger, Cleetus is offering the blueprint. And just like at Talladega, he’s showing that sometimes, the wild ones with the craziest ideas are the ones you should follow.
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