NASCAR broadcaster shares image of Cleetus McFarland’s ride as he gears up for Talladega test

One of the fan favorites, Cleetus McFarland, is set to return to the stock car racing scene at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR broadcaster Kaitlyn Vincie teased fans with a photo of McFarland's racecar bound for yet another superspeedway showdown.

The General Tire 200 at Talladega is Cleetus McFarland's (a.k.a. Lawrence Garrett Mitchell) second start in the ARCA Menards Series. The YouTuber and automotive enthusiast debuted in the series' season opener at Daytona International Speedway earlier this year, where he only clocked 17 laps following a crash with Amber Balcaen.

In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Kaitlyn Vincie showed off the returning driver's #30 Ford under Rette Jones Racing.

"Look whose back #Cleetus," Vincie wrote.

The last time the driver graced the ARCA Menards stage, the series saw a significant spike in viewership. Vincie reported Fox's post-race spot with the 30-year-old reached about 5.8 million views, calling the feat the "Cleetus McFarland effect."

McFarland will go up against other entrants, including Amber Balcaen and Brenden "Butterbean" Queen, who won during their race at Daytona. Other notable stock car racing personalities are William Sawalich and Lawless Alan.

The General Tire 200 is the third race of the 2025 ARCA Menards Series, happening on April 26. FS1 will commence the TV coverage at 12:30 p.m. ET, with MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR taking over the radio coverage.

Cleetus McFarland during the 2025 Ride the 'Dente 200 - Source: Getty

NASCAR, meanwhile, will host the Jack Link's 500 (Cup) and Ag-Pro 300 (Xfinity) this weekend. The Craftsman Truck Series will enjoy a one-race off before action resumes at Texas Motor Speedway next week.

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"It's great to be back": Cleetus McFarland on return to ARCA Menards at Talladega

Cleetus McFarland shared his thoughts on entering the Talladega race despite an underwhelming outing at Daytona. After two months off the track, McFarland said he feels blessed returning to the #30 Ford for another go at stock car racing.

In an interview with Speedway Digest, the part-time ARCA Menards Series driver said:

"It's great to be back. Honestly, I'm incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to come back again to compete in the ARCA Menards Series at Talladega. Besides getting collected in two early race accidents, I had so much fun at Daytona."

He also appreciated the efforts of Rette Jones Racing for fixing his car after multiple collisions in his debut race, saying:

"It's a shame we weren't able to finish the race, but I appreciate the efforts of my Rette Jones Racing team for getting the car put back together so we can be at Talladega this weekend."

Cleetus McFarland driving the #30 Ford at Daytona International Speedway - Source: Imagn

After General Tire 200's practice session, McFarland posted a 53.498-second lap time, good enough for the ninth fastest. William Sawalich, full-time driver at Joe Gibbs Racing's Xfinity program, topped the timing sheets, followed by Lavar Scott and Andy Jankowiak.

Ride the 'Dente 200 (Daytona) winner, Brenden Queen, was the fourth fastest driver, with Amber Balcaen securing the eighth spot.