Cleetus McFarland Reacts to Emotional Race at Talladega Superspeedway

In the ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega, Cleetus McFarland had his best performance yet in a stock car. He finished P2 and led laps for the first time in his early career.

There weren't many fans in the grandstands, but plenty in the infield and elsewhere. Reports from the track say the pop for Cleetus taking the lead was so big you'd have thought it was Dale Earnhardt Jr.

After the finish, and his career-best result in ARCA, Cleetus talked about the emotions of the race. He was, as always, animated on the radio and when he had the lead under caution, it started to sink in for the YouTuber turned racer. Andy Jankowiak got the win, but Cleetus is going to cherish this race like he took home the trophy himself.

"I did get a smidge emotional because I was just like, when we were sitting under caution, I was sitting there thinking, 'Ah man, I'm at the front of the (expletive) pack.' I know a lot of people are supporting me," Cleetus said, via Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. "I just saw some guys with their sleeves cut off in the crowd just like, it was like the third time we've gone by under caution and they were just like this. Man, I'm so lucky dude.

"Like, I'm doing this, obviously a lot different than everybody else, where I'm coming with this huge following and trying to learn on the fly. Instead of learning little by little and then building this career. Even though I suck some weekends and do really terrible, these guys still come out for me, and we finally got a run where I'm in the front. Like, it hit me in the car like how lucky I am to have this opportunity and be up there and use the knowledge Biff taught me. I was fired up."

For a while there it looked like Cleetus McFarland was going to burn Talladega to the ground by winning the ARCA race. Had he done that, the Boulevard would have needed to be quarantined from the rest of society until the celebration was over.

The celebration will have to wait for Cleetus fans, for now. Does this race get Cleetus approved for NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Talladega and Daytona now? We'll have to see what NASCAR decides.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 1:31 PM.