Cleetus McFarland signs two-year deal with RCR to race NASCAR O'Reilly part-time

Garrett Mitchell, who is better known as YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, is set to make his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts (NOAPS) debut at one of the trickiest ovals in the sport -- Rockingham.

He will pilot the #33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, a historic organization and the defending NOAPS driver champions via Jesse Love. RCR also has six Cup titles, all with the legendary Dale Earnhardt.

Cleetus has indicated that this will be a three-race deal for 2026 and again in 2027, which tentatively includes Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. 

Tommy's Express will back the effort, and McFarland will be a teammate to Love and Austin Hill -- who currently sit 1-2 in the championship standings.

“To have the opportunity to make my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut with a legendary race team like Richard Childress Racing is a dream come true,” said Mitchell. “It’s a huge honor, and I am incredibly grateful to learn under the leadership of Richard Childress, Mike Verlander, Danny Lawrence and everyone in Welcome, North Carolina. Having Tommy’s Express on board for my debut makes it even more special. They’re a fast-forward brand that understands speed, performance, and connecting with people, which lines up perfectly with everything we are trying to accomplish.”

Cleetus McFarland, No. 4 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images

McFarland's YouTube channel is approaching five million subscribers, but recently, he has embarked on turning himself into a professional stock car racer.

He made his ARCA debut at Daytona last year. While it ended in a crash, he returned to run four ARCA races throughout the 2025 season. He scored top ten finishes at Talladega and at Charlotte, where he recorded a career-best finish of ninth. 

In February, he made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut with Niece Motorsports, but crashed from inside the top ten just six laps into the race, finishing 37th after starting 12th. He made his fifth career ARCA start the following day at Daytona, finishing 11th.

The North Carolina Education Lottery 250 at Rockingham is set to take place on Saturday, April 4, Easter Weekend. Kasey Kahne drove the #33 entry at Rockingham last year.