UPDATE: Cleetus McFarland Will Race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series This Year
What’s Happening? YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to…
With only one veteran returning to GMS Racing’s truck series program in Grant Enfinger, the 3-truck team has an impressive lineup of youngsters. We already took a deep dive into Rajah Caruth’s (driver of GMS’s No. 24 Chevy Silverado) budding racing career, and we at the Daily Downforce thought it’d be cool to take a close look at his teammate, driver of the famous #43 for GMS Racing, Daniel Dye.
Daniel Dye has been around racing his entire life. His father, Randy Dye, has been on the Board of Directors for the NASCAR Foundation since 2017. During a pandemic laden 2020, Dye made his first starts in the ARCA Eastern and Western divisions respectively, making 2 starts in the former division which would see him DNF at New Smyrna Raceway though he would score his first top-10 at Five Flags where he would come in 7th.
During the 2020 season, he would drive the iconic #43 for current Truck Series Director, Ben Kennedy. In 2021, he was scheduled to run full-time in the Eastern Division but would only run 4 of his scheduled 8 starts. As he left Ben Kennedy Racing, he moved over to his permanent home at GMS driving their No. 21 car.
He would score his first and only ARCA Series victory at Berlin Raceway in Michigan driving for his new team, holding off no other than 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion, Ty Gibbs. He would cap off the season by scoring a 2nd place points finish in the Eastern Division.
Prior to the beginning of the 2022 season, Daniel Dye and GMS Racing made the commitment to go full-time, running all 20 rounds of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. He would not win a race during the 2022 season though he would go on to finish in the top-5 13 times.
The season was not without controversy, however, as Daniel Dye would be suspended by ARCA after the third race of the season, Talladega. We will talk more about that a little later on. He was eventually reinstated and before the fourth race of the season so he was able to complete the entire ARCA schedule as planned. He finished second in the ARCA Menards Series standings getting edge out by fellow 2023 Truck Series rookie, Nick Sanchez.
After running a number 43 Chevy Silverado stylized after the famous Richard Petty font with Petty’s grandson, Thad Moffit, in 2022 to disappointing results, it was announced in October of 2022 that Daniel Dye would be joining GMS Racing’s truck series lineup for the 2023 season.
After crashing out and finishing a dismal 30th place at Daytona, Dye has run consistently in the top-20 thus far in the 2023 season. Only time will tell how he will progress throughout the season and his career.
Now for the real meat of the story. Remember earlier when I said that Daniel Dye was suspended by ARCA following Talladega and prior to Kansas? Well, this is why.
Daniel Dye was arrested on April 26, 2022 with Felony Battery Charges. Dye is currently a high school student and, in a moment of stupidity crossed with teenage boy immaturity, he punched a fellow student in the groin, causing significant bruising to the boy’s scrotum and possibly a ruptured testicle.
Eventually the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and ARCA reinstated the driver. Daniel Dye stated that it was part of a game boys at his school partake in and seemingly laughed it off. Vanillawafer on YouTube did this video essay about the incident.
Well, I guess that’s everything you need to know about Daniel Dye, his young career, and a very unfortunate/immature incident. Let us know what you think.
Garrett Mitchell, better known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, says his 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule isn’t set in stone, something the YouTube star explained to Dale Earnhardt Jr on the latest episode of The Dale Jr Download.
One of the biggest surprises in recent NASCAR news is that YouTube star Cleetus McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, will make his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut next month at Rockingham Speedway.
Mitchell, who has just won a NASCAR National Series start to his name, will make this start with Richard Childress Racing in their No. 33 car as part of a part-time development contract that will see him make starts in 2026 and 2027.
Per Mitchell, his contract will cover three races per season, though he hinted it could be more in a Facebook post. Nonetheless, fans are eagerly awaiting an official schedule of what other tracks Mitchell and RCR will tackle in 2026.
Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a little longer for this schedule, as the 30-year-old Floridian explained during a recent interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr, his 2026 schedule is still up in the air a month ahead of his first race.
During an interview on the latest episode of the Dale Jr Download, Mitchell told Earnhardt that while he plans to race the superspeedways after Rockingham, with his sights set on Talladega’s April 25 or October 24 race weekend, the decision lies in the hands of NASCAR.
“NASCAR said I cannot run Talladega unless I go to Rockingham first and do well,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell then clarified that while he will have a rookie test for Rockingham, the race at Rockingham will determine his eligibility to race at Talladega.
What’s Happening? YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to…
Mitchell, who has two ARCA starts at Daytona and one at Talladega, has already taken a rookie test this season at Rockingham for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Despite a minor crash during this test, Mitchell was cleared to race in the season-opening race at Daytona, crashing himself in a single truck spin five laps into the race, after a valiant qualifying effort.
Even with the barrier of Rockingham in the way, fans are already somewhat concerned about McFarland’s skills, given the result of his short time behind the wheel of a truck.
During this episode of The DJD, Mitchell expressed his intentions to work his way up the ladder and learn, but with the caveat that if an opportunity presents itself to him, he will take it, using the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series as a metaphorical example.
“I don’t want to drive a Cup car right now. But, brother, if someone calls me and says, ‘We got a spot in a Cup car in the Daytona 500?’ I mean, what am I supposed to do?” — Cleetus McFarland
Despite his doubters, with the support of RCR and their developmental tools, Mitchell seems confident about the opportunity, already getting in some sim time with RCR.
Either way, no matter how much support he has in his corner, Mitchell is diving in headfirst once again with this opportunity.
What’s Happening? Despite his internet fame, Garrett Mitchell, by his screen name Cleetus McFarland, has recently taken to stock car racing…
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Lionel has officially opened pre-orders for Garrett Mitchell’s (better known as Cleetus McFarland) first-ever NASCAR diecast.
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to race with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the next two seasons.
UPDATE 3:00 PM EST: Per RCR Mitchell will make his debut at Rockingham Speedway on April 4.
What’s Happening? Despite his internet fame, Garrett Mitchell, by his screen name Cleetus McFarland, has recently taken to stock car racing…
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
