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Is Bubba Wallace’s Extension a Good Sign For 23XI’s Future?

DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - MAY 11: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 McDonald's Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Yahoo! Toyota, look on during qualifying for the the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 11, 2024 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Kauy Ostlien

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Royal T Grafix

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What’s Happening

Since missing out on the 2024 NASCAR Playoffs, Bubba Wallace hasn’t had the best month. However, it picked up for the Cup Series Veteran Wednesday afternoon when 23XI and Wallace agreed on a new extension.

  • Bubba Wallace is 23XI’s original driver and the catalyst for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s venture in 2021. Wallace hasn’t had the numbers most hoped for, but he has managed to win two races for the team.
  • In 2024, Bubba Wallace has improved statistically. He is showing better finishes than he has in past seasons, and despite not having a win, many expected him to be re-signed by 23XI.
  • However, news slowed after 23XI held out on NASCAR’s new Charter Agreement. Fortunately, Wallace is back for 2024, and hopefully, 23XI will be back in full force as well.

The Story So Far:

Bubba Wallace Will Be Back in 2025

Bubba Wallace has already matched his career-best stats 28 races into the 2024 season. Insiders met Wallace’s performance with speculation that the driver, who is on a contract year, would re-sign with 23XI for at least one more season.

However, the tone of these contract talks changed when 23XI held out on signing NASCAR’s latest Charter Agreement. Most teams felt that NASCAR forced their hand in signing, and 23XI, pleased with neither the rushed signing nor the terms of the deal, held off.

Without the charter, 2025 is up in the air for 23XI. The team could lose its charter and, without a deal, miss out on vital revenue sharing. Rumors have even swirled that the team could have to cut back from a rumored three drivers in 2025 to one driver.

It would be a tough call in that event. While Tyler Reddick is a generational talent, Wallace brings vital sponsorship to the team. This sponsorship also means that Wallace would be okay on the open market. However, that doesn’t matter, as Wallace is back in 2024, and hopefully, 23XI will be back in full force in 2025.

We Are So Back?

What Can Silly Season Tell Us About 23XI and FRM’s Future

This is good news, right? One of NASCAR’s best teams and few Charter Agreements holdouts is bringing back its most veteran driver for a multi-year deal.

Of course, it is. Since the team held out on NASCAR, 23XI has been relatively secretive about its plans for 2025, and some news is always better than no news. However, insider Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports suggests that this does not mean that 23XI has signed the Charter Agreement.

Furthermore, as Pockrass also stated, it could mean that 23XI was holding out on Bubba to rework the terms of his deal. Perhaps he means that they worked in language regarding Wallace’s terms if the team were non-chartered next year.

However, Wallace’s re-signing is good, and while we still don’t know what the future holds for 23XI, it looks as if the team is in the sport for the long haul, whether they are Chartered or open entry.

What do you think about all this? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Cleetus McFarland Explains The One Catch to His NASCAR O’Reilly Series Schedule

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

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.

Stirring the Pot

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.

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Cleetus McFarland’s First NASCAR Diecast is Officially Available for Pre-Order

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel has officially opened pre-orders for Garrett Mitchell’s (better known as Cleetus McFarland) first-ever NASCAR diecast.

  • This announcement comes as part of his upcoming debut in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series next month. While the sponsor, Tommy’s Express Car Wash, and car number, No. 33, are known, there has yet to be an official render of his paint scheme released to the public.
  • Lionel Racing is offering two diecast options for Mitchell: the first option is the 1:64 scale diecast at $11.75, and the second is a 1:24 scale diecast at $70.00. As of press time, it appears the car will not receive any other options, such as Special Finishes like Color Chrome or Galaxy Colored.
  • Mitchell announced his first NASCAR OAP Series race on Wednesday afternoon, signing a two-year, three-race-per-year deal with RCR. This is a major step for the YouTube star turned NASCAR driver, who made his ARCA debut last season.
  • Due to his popularity both in and out of NASCAR, Mitchell’s diecast may be one of the most anticipated in recent memory. Many race fans are already giving bold predictions for the large order quantity this car will receive by the time it reaches production.

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.

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Garrett Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland, driver of the #30 Kenetik Ford waits on the grid prior to the ARCA Menards Series Bush's Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 11, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

UPDATE: Cleetus McFarland Will Race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series This Year

by Kauy Ostlien

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 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.

  • Mitchell announced his signing with RCR in a Wednesday afternoon post on his Facebook. The 30-year-old says that RCR reached out, offering to make him “a better driver and give you an opportunity to grow in this sport.”
  • The Floridaian will drive the team’s part-time No. 33 on a part-time basis over the next two seasons. Mitchell claims in his post that the deal is three races a year, but hints it could be more, saying “3 races a year right now.”
  • Mitchell, who made his NASCAR debut last season with a four-race schedule in the ARCA Menards Series, has brought a legion of fans to NASCAR in his few starts. So far, Mitchell has made five career starts in the ARCA Menards Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
  • That start in the Truck Series, at Daytona earlier this season, was a spark of controversy, as, after crashing in his test for approval, Mitchell crashed himself early on in the race. While he has his supporters, including many in the garage area, this move up the NASCAR ladder will likely see some pushback from fans across the board.
  • As of press time, Mitchell has yet to announce his first race of this part-time schedule with RCR.

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.