This past week, the NASCAR world has pushed back and forth on their opinions on YouTube star Cleetus McFarland’s signing with Richard Childress Racing. While some of those in opposition still support Mitchell’s pursuit in racing, the broader conversation about experience and learning the ropes has taken center stage, with names like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin commenting on the matter.
This past week, Garrett Mitchell, who most NASCAR fans know by the screen name Cleetus McFarland, signed a two-year deal with Richard Childress Racing to compete in select events in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series.
For now, his schedule includes three races this season and three more next season, beginning on April 4 at Rockingham Speedway, with hopes of racing at Talladega, given a good outing at The Rock.
Nonetheless, the signing has drawn praise from several corners of the garage. For example, Hall of Famer Mark Martin voiced support for the move, arguing Mitchell brings a fan base that could pull more viewers toward the sport.
But despite its supporters, the deal to bring Mitchell into RCR has prompted debate about NASCAR’s driver approval system.
Questions about experience and access have surfaced, with some drivers suggesting the bar should remain high before newcomers are handed a seat in any of the sport’s three National Series.
Among those weighing in on this debate is RCR Cup Series talent and former Champion, Kyle Busch, whose response about Mitchell’s opportunity carried a tone that left little to read between the lines.
“Good for him,” Busch said, before pointing to the role funding often plays in the sport, no matter how many questions are raised against it. He followed that with a somewhat sarcastic remark.
“I don’t know how many races he’s run. Denny Hamlin ran 10,000 before he got here, right? So I don’t know if Cleetus has run 10 or not. There’s definitely of having ample experience. My son’s probably run more races than he has, and he is 10-years-old. I don’t think that sits well with many of us.” – Kyle Busch
Busch’s former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, also addressed the subject on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, where he spoke at length about the debate surrounding Mitchell’s entry.
Instead of aiming criticism at the driver himself, Hamlin argued the focus should fall on NASCAR’s approval system. He acknowledged that Mitchell’s presence could bring more attention to the sport, pulling in viewers who might not otherwise tune in.
At the same time, Hamlin said the process that determines who earns a spot on the grid should remain firm. In his view, “Our approval process should be tougher than what it is. I think that there’s a certain standard that we need to hold to ourselves.”
Hamlin, who has seen many drivers take the jump too early, understands that Mitchell is on a path that could eventually lead to the NASCAR Cup Series and the risks that the YouTube star is taking on with his pursuit of NASCAR.
While he described Mitchell as someone who values the chances placed before him, Hamlin argued that attitude alone should not serve as the measuring stick for a ride at that level.
His concern centers on the risk that inexperience could create for others on track, with regard to safety and to the championship hopes of full-time talent.
The JGR ace pointed to Mitchell’s race at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he said the YouTuber turned NASCAR driver struggled to keep the truck under control before a crash ended the run.
For Hamlin, the issue really boils down to fairness for drivers who compete for points week after week.
If the sport wants to keep the playing field level, he argued, the only way forward is to tighten the approval process and make sure every driver who lines up on race day has paid their dues before taking the green flag.
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