The rumor is out and it sounds like a game-changer for the sport. Cleetus McFarland will run the full ARCA Menards Series schedule in 2027. He will do this in a car fielded by Richard Childress Racing. Matt Weaver broke this news on The Burnout Podcast via Kenny Wallace Media. This is not a small part-time gig or a one-off race. It is a full-time commitment from a driver who knows how to bring the noise.
McFarland has been busy learning the ropes this season. He ran two O’Reilly races, three Truck Series events, and four ARCA Menards Series races. He also competed in one ARCA Menards Series East event and just finished his first Super Late Model race. He even plans to race a dirt late model at the Gateway Dirt Nationals later this year. NASCAR gatherings draw crowds and elevate television viewership thanks to him. He is an important piece of NASCAR’s near-term future.
Some might think a YouTube star driving a race car is just a gimmick. They are wrong. McFarland nearly grabbed an ARCA Menards Series win at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this year. He finished 2nd in that race. He knows how to handle the speed and the pressure. He is not just a guy with a camera; he is a competitor who is serious about winning.
At Talladega Superspeedway on Friday, the driver personally declined to verify the report. He did tease upcoming announcements though. “Some of the things we have pretty close to set in stone are so cool and unexpected,” McFarland said, according to Racing News. He also noted that NASCAR is letting them bring new ideas to the table. This partnership with the sanctioning body is key to his success.
McFarland owns the Freedom Factory, a bullring paved oval near Tampa, Florida. He sees a future where NASCAR races there. “There will be things in the Freedom Factory with NASCAR’s name on it in the future,” McFarland said. He knows that short tracks need more than just ticket sales to survive. “It’s hard to turn a profit with short tracks and you really have to have a whole other business to really support it,” he added. His business savvy is just as strong as his driving skills.
The Road Ahead For 2027
McFarland has a lot of work to do before the 2027 season starts. Having competed in his debut Super Late Model race, he schedules additional dirt events soon. He wants to race O’Reilly on a superspeedway next year. “My first day with them, I got two penalties, and so I thought the relationship got off to a bad start,” McFarland said. But he said a few phone calls changed his mind. Now he believes NASCAR is on board with his vision.
This full-time run in an RCR car shows the team is betting on him. The 2027 ARCA Menards Series schedule is already released. McFarland has some cool things coming that will make for a busy schedule next year. He is building a brand that goes beyond just one race car.