YouTuber Cleetus McFarland brings in 70,000 viewers during his top 10 finish in NASCAR ARCA race at Talladega

Cleetus McFarland once again brought an influx of viewership during his second start in the ARCA Menards Series. His live onboard view had about 70,000 viewers as he finished in a respectable 10th place at Talladega Superspeedway.

McFarland, or Lawrence Garrett Mitchell, started the General Tire 200 at Talladega in 24th place behind the wheel of the #30 Ford for Rette Jones Racing. During the race, he encountered several on-track incidents, including engine issues, and a close wreck, before securing his first top 10 series finish.

Per an X (formerly Twitter) post by BrakeHard, the YouTuber-turned-professional racecar driver had about 70,000 people watching his in-car camera in the race on Saturday, April 26.

"10th place finish for Cleetus McFarland! 70k viewers watching his in-car camera on NASCAR's YouTube channel. Big content weekend for NASCAR/ARCA."

While Cleetus McFarland celebrates a strong finish, Lawless Alan won the 77-lap race, his first in the ARCA Menards Series. He battled with several drivers, including NASCAR Xfinity Series driver William Sawalich, who started in pole position before finishing ninth in front of McFarland.

The Talladega race follows the 30-year-old's series debut in the Ride the 'Dente 200 at Daytona International Speedway. He was unfortunate in that race after exiting on lap 17 due to a multi-car wreck involving Amber Balcaen, Craig Bracken, and himself.

Cleetus McFarland driving the #30 Ford at Talladega Superspeedway - Source: Imagn

McFarland may seem to be a solid contender and bring more fans, but he has no concrete plans to return to the series yet. However, in a post-race interview, the Ford pilot said he's looking forward to running again this year.

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"Hell no brother you ain't taking me out": Cleetus McFarland on escaping wreck at Talladega

As mentioned, Cleetus McFarland almost had a similar fate as his Daytona race when he had a close call for a wreck at Talladega Superspeedway. He was able to keep the car on the track after overcoming engine issues and eventually scoring a top-10 finish.

The wreck saw the #99 Chevrolet of Michael Maples crashing into the wall off the backstretch before potentially tagging another car, which was sent to the right rear of McFarland. The #30 Ford was hit, but the driver managed to carry on in the race.

The part-time ARCA Menards Series driver said (via NASCAR):

"That was because my sleeves are cut off. I was able to make that maneuver. Tucked one of my wings, and just... dodged right out of there, said, 'Hell no, brother. You ain't taking me out', and slid in for a number 10 finish." [2:16]

Speaking about the conclusion of the race, McFarland stated:

"I just think today was a lot of luck. I'm really thankful for the Kenetix guys, and I'm thankful for my team, my crew." [1:46]

As fans await Cleetus McFarland's next outing, the next race on the ARCA Menards Series calendar is the Tide 150 at Kansas Speedway, the fourth stop of the 2025 season. The 100-lap race is scheduled for May 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET.