Why Cleetus McFarland hilariously called Dale Earnhardt Jr. a “chicken foot”

When Cleetus McFarland took Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his first-ever drag racing experience, nobody expected the NASCAR legend to be caught off guard. However, Cleetus couldn't resist roasting Earnhardt Jr. for lifting his foot off the accelerator and giving him a "chicken foot" nickname in the process.

The YouTube sensation and ARCA Menards Series driver, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, has long admired Dale Earnhardt Jr. For years, Cleetus's audience encouraged him to have Junior drive the 'Dale Truck,' which is a fan-favorite machine in Cleetus's content for nearly eight years.

The dream finally materialized on April 16 at Talladega when Earnhardt Jr. joined Cleetus for a quarter-mile run.

At a recent NASCAR press conference, Cleetus shared how special Dale Jr.'s first-ever drag racing experience was and how he was slightly off-guard by the raw power of the truck. He recalled:

"I loved seeing him a little scared of something. He let off the gas on his first hit because it was so fast and it was just hilarious. He's so cool. We've all looked up to Dale Jr...But then to see him drive our truck, it was amazing. So, I'd say the most memorable moment would be him chicken footing on the throttle and then doing that awesome burnout." (3: 08 onwards)

Cleetus elaborated that in his circle, "chicken footing" meant lifting off the throttle prematurely and is a lighthearted instance, guaranteed to earn teasing from the team. When asked how he got away with calling Dale Earnhardt Jr. out so publicly, Cleetus laughed, explaining how the data logs confirmed Dale Jr.'s hesitation, making it impossible to hide.

The 30-year-old YouTuber was shocked by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s skills with the Dale Truck and acknowledged his racing prowess for his burnouts.

Cleetus McFarland reflects on advice from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other NASCAR mentors

Cleetus McFarland before the ARCA Menards Series Chili's Ride the Dente 200 at Daytona. Source: Getty

Beyond the banter, Cleetus McFarland also acknowledged how crucial figures like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, and Alex Bowman have been in his racing journey. While Biffle has been a part of his career from the start, McFarland has recently formed a friendship with Dale Jr. after their outing at Talladega Superspeedway.

These seasoned veterans have offered invaluable advice as Cleetus transitions from content creator to serious competitor.

"All the guys that I've met — Biffle, Junior, Alex Bowman — they all offer a lot of great advice. Through this process, I've just become really good friends with them. It feels natural to hang out with them now. Their advice comes across as genuine, and they actually want me to use it," Cleetus shared in the press conference. (4:40 onwards)

While still early in his ARCA Menards Series career, Cleetus noted how he tries to absorb as much wisdom as possible, especially regarding patience and survival tactics crucial in pack racing.

With just 19 laps at Daytona in a chaotic 2025 ARCA Menards Series opener, his race ended early after a couple of wrecks. By combining perspectives from multiple mentors, he strives to make better decisions this weekend at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Cleetus is set to take part in the General Tire 200 at the historic 2.66-mile tri-oval and will begin from P24. The #30 Kenetix Ford driver was the ninth fastest in practice with the best lap time of 53.498 seconds. William Sawalich will start in pole position in the race scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. ET.