BRISTOL, Tenn. – ARCA Menards Series part-time racer Garrett Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland, confirmed to reporters post-race that he plans to return to ARCA competition in 2026 after racing at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, Sept. 11.
“We’re planning on coming back,” the YouTube star said on pit road post-race. “Part time.”
Mark Rette, the co-owner of Mitchell’s race team Rette-Jones Racing, further confirmed the details to Frontstretch and included the team will be looking for an eight- to 10-race season in 2026 and will attempt to include some Super Late Model starts for the Floridian.
Mitchell competed in four ARCA races in 2025 in the No. 30 Rette-Jones Ford that included two top-10 results at Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loud column, co-host of the Frontstretch Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.
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Cleetus is great for ARCA I know I wouldn’t be watching if it wasn’t for Cleetus, and I know I’m not the only one. He has proven him self to be a good driver just as good as any of them. He is just new to the sport and is learning more and more every time he races. Let’s face it ARCA is boring but Cleetus add a fresh new out look and is far from boring. 1 out of 10 I’m a 10 for Cleetus to keep racing in ARCA. Keep up the good work Cleetus!!
ARCA getting publicity is a win. Garrett is no more dangerious than other ‘pay to play’ or rookies with little seat time that drive here. Many drivers are in this series to learn from thier mistakes.
I think I saw 137 different drivers had registered to qualify this year in ARCA.. He’s probably better driver than half of them (I’m guessing). and he’s not running ‘start and park’ like several ARCA entries.
I do have conserns that he’s really not trying to be a professional racer in the long run. The seat could be filled with a person making an effort to make a career, But, if he’s got a sponser and behaves respectfully you have to let him race.
I find myself pulling for him for some reason.
Not sure how I feel about this one.
On one hand, he has a massive social media presence, and likely brings a lot of eyeballs and attention from a group who mostly doesn’t pay attention to ARCA otherwise. And ARCA can certainly use the exposure these days.
In thinking about it, it’s not much different than Marty Robbins running Cup from ’66 – ’82. If anything, this is a bit better, as ARCA is roughly the stock car equivalent of baseball’s single A.
Granted, Robbins did it just because he enjoyed racing, and had a few good results, but only because he was in an era where you could buy your way into competitive equipment. Still, just as in this case, it was someone running in a national series who may have been in over his head.
On the other hand, Mitchell doesn’t seem to take it seriously, and has made multiple mistakes in his few races, in at least one case impacting others. He also may be cheapening the sport just a little. I get the sound bites are a part of his alter ego persona, but it doesn’t reflect well upon the sport as a whole.
I lean toward “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”, so this is probably a net win for ARCA. I doubt I’d be very happy about it if I was a full time driver though. It’s like knowing there’s a grenade somewhere on the track, and there’s no telling if/when it’s going to blow up.
Garrett is a helluva competitor in everything he tries, from drag racing to oval to drifting, to truck racing, to mini jet boats, to STOL flying competitions. Kid can drive or fly anything. Of course he’s made mistakes. Most drivers, even veterans at the cup level, make mistakes. He’s safer out there then most of the rookies out there.
I enjoy some of his stuff, especially the beater races he sometimes holds/performs in. Truly fun to see.
Still, I’d much rather face off against rookie with some career skin in the game than a driver who makes his career via his admittedly funny alter ego, and has very little experience in this racing discipline.
I’d also be concerned if I had career aspirations in stock cars that someone who has a vested interest in drumming up excitement may do something dumb, whether because it was intentional, or because YOLO.
With what I’ve seen thus far, I’d disagree he’s safer than most rookies. But to your point, if I was a veteran or a young driver with a top team, I’d generally be giving Garrett AND most rookies a wide berth. A few of the rookies have done dumb things, just as Garrett has.
Difference is, most of those rookies are there to learn, and I see nothing which indicates Garrett is. ARCA is just a platform for his persona. Nothing more.
Again, I think this is good for ARCA. It’ll drive some of “Cletus McFarland’s” faithful to tune in, and maybe just a few will get hooked on the real sport. And ARCA very much needs that right now.
I just hope he stays out of the way of the folks who take ARCA seriously, especially the smaller teams who can’t necessarily afford to have their equipment torn up by someone who is just looking to have fun, and drive more revenue to his social media outlets.
I get where you’re coming from, but I think the guy is deeper than that. I’m not a loyal follower, but from what I’ve seen from some of his social media content and his contacts in various forms of racing, I think he’s reasonably humble given the size of his following and believe he truly respects the sport. Does he inadvertently wreck and potentially ruin someone else’s day? Yes, but I don’t think any of it is on purpose – and no more so than any other rookie. I think he genuinely wants to learn and would be thrilled to notch at least one legitimate win. If I were in his shoes (and a lot younger, well maybe even now!), I’d give it a go too.
There have always been a few “Pay to Play” drivers in all forms of racing, it’s just another part of it. Who would you rather have in the car, Danica, either of the Dillon Brothers, or Cleetus? ;-) lol
As usual, I agree with most of your thoughts. I don’t think he’s done anything to intentionally cause issue in any racing he’s dabbled in, and I do think he has a genuine passion for all things motorsports. He’s good for motorsport overall, and good for ARCA. I’d still be a bit nervous driving around him.
And yeah, from my younger days, kitted out with a force feedback wheel with paddle shifter and pedals for a driving simulator, I sometimes wondered if I could be competitive at some level. That said, even within the simulator I was fast, but there were always those who were faster.
Somewhat funny side note: Racing simulators are AMAZING at showing what alcohol does to driving skill. I quit a few years ago, but whereas my lap times sober were good but not elite, my ability to drink was very much top tier. Yet, more than one or two drinks, and my reaction time and ability to drive a competitive racing line fell off a cliff. I’d go from challenging for wins, to running mid-pack, to being the slowest weapon on the virtual track, sometimes wrecking with no other cars around.
I know the last bit was a joke, but I’d actually take the Dillons over Cleetus. Though I think they’re where they are due to who they are rather than talent, they both had more experience before jumping into national races. Danica? Yeah…though I always felt she got a bit of a bad rap in Indycar, she had no experience in stock cars, and it showed. Still, I don’t see where Mitchell is any better, and woof, that’s a low bar:-D
Why?
semms like a wreck waiting to happen.