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These are the 2023 NASCAR Playoff Dark Horses

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 26: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Columbia Sportswear Company Toyota, greets fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 26, 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Joshua Lipowski

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Royal T Grafix

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We've talked about the Championship Favorites, and we've talked about those in danger of being eliminated from the Playoffs. Now, who are some of the drivers who are flying under the radar some? Which dark horse drivers are primed to make a deep Playoff run?

We’ve talked about the Championship Favorites, and we’ve talked about those in danger of being eliminated from the Playoffs. Now, who are some of the drivers who are flying under the radar? Which dark horse drivers are primed to make a deep Playoff run?

Chris Buescher

By the Numbers: 4th in Playoff Standings; 3 Wins; 6 Top-5s; 12 Top-10s; 231 Laps Led; 1 Stage Win

Breakdown: Chris Buescher went on an incredible run late in the regular season, and he is now sitting fourth in the Playoff standings with 21 Playoff points. He has won races at the short track of Richmond, the intermediate track of Michigan, and the superspeedway of Daytona. With that success on a variety of race tracks, Buescher is a threat to make a Championship run if he keeps this momentum up.

Bubba Wallace

By the Numbers: 16th in Playoff Standings; 0 Wins; 4 Top-5s; 6 Top-10s; 159 Laps Led; 0 Stage Wins

Breakdown: Putting the guy who is the bottom seed in the Playoffs may seem strange, but, Wallace is a unique case. In the spring, Wallace ran fourth at Kansas and fifth at Darlington, which are both first-round visits. He finished in fourth at Las Vegas in the spring and is a former winner at Talladega, both of which are second-round visits. Wallace can run well at the tracks coming up, and he could surprise some people if he earns some much-needed stage points while staying out of trouble.

Christopher Bell

By the Numbers: 7th in Playoff Standings; 1 Win; 6 Top-5s; 13 Top-10s; 259 Laps Led; 2 Stage Wins

Breakdown: Christopher Bell found a way into the Championship 4 via clutch wins at Martinsville Speedway and the Charlotte Roval in 2022, and he is driving top-rate equipment in Joe Gibbs Racing. Tracks like Darlington, Homestead-Miami, and Bristol also play into Bell’s driving style. Bell may fly under the radar behind his other teammates, but he cannot be forgotten.

Joey Logano

By the Numbers: 11th in Playoff Standings; 1 Win; 8 Top-5s; 13 Top-10s; 260 Laps Led; 3 Stage Wins

Breakdown: Never count out the defending Champion. Joey Logano may sit 11th in the Playoff standings, but he is only six points behind Christopher Bell in seventh. Logano also has eight top-5 finishes which is not far off from drivers like Kyle Busch (8), William Byron (9), Martin Truex Jr. (9), and Denny Hamlin (9). Logano has some high high’s this season, and well-timed wins make the difference in this format.

Brad Keselowski

By the Numbers: 9th in Playoff 0 Wins; 6 Top-5s; 11 Top-10s; 259 Laps Led; 4 Stage Wins

Breakdown: While his driver has gone on a surge, Brad Keselowski has gone on his own surge. For the first time since he was at Penske, Keselowski is a threat to win even if he does not have a win with RFK Racing yet. At some point, he is going to break through, and what a time to do it the Playoffs would be.

Who knows which drivers can be surprise entries into the Round of 8 or even the Championship 4 later this postseason? This will be an interesting postseason to watch, and these drivers can make sure of that.

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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.

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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.

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