Cleetus McFarland is officially taking the next step in his racing career, and he’s doing it with one of NASCAR’s most legendary teams!
Richard Childress Racing announced that the popular YouTube star, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, will compete full-time in the 2027 ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet with crew chief Robert Strmiska. This will be his first full-season campaign chasing a national stock car racing championship.
And this is about much more than just another racing announcement.
Cleetus has built a massive following through his love of cars, wild automotive projects, and his passion for racing. Now, he’s getting the opportunity to prove himself over an entire season with a team that has helped develop some of the biggest names in NASCAR.
Cleetus Is Going ALL IN on Racing
After making limited starts across ARCA, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Cleetus is taking on a much bigger challenge in 2027.
Instead of jumping between a handful of races, he’ll have an entire ARCA season to develop his skills, gain experience, and compete against drivers who are chasing the same championship.
And he has already shown flashes of what he can do.
Cleetus finished second at Talladega earlier this season, narrowly missing out on his first ARCA victory. He also earned his first pole award at Michigan International Speedway, giving him some impressive milestones to build on heading into his first full-time campaign.
Now, the question is whether he can turn those moments into consistent results across an entire season.
Richard Childress Racing Is Giving Him a Huge Opportunity
The RCR connection makes this announcement even bigger.
Richard Childress Racing has a long history in ARCA, including helping Ty Dillon win the championship in 2011. The organization has also worked with drivers who went on to achieve major success in NASCAR, including Kevin Harvick and Austin Dillon.
Having that kind of experience behind him could be extremely valuable for Cleetus as he continues learning the ins and outs of stock car racing.
He’ll also have Robert Strmiska calling the shots as crew chief. Strmiska has been with RCR since 2010 and has contributed to three championships, giving Cleetus an experienced leader to work with throughout the season.
For RCR, the move also marks the organization’s return to full-time ARCA competition.
For Cleetus, it’s a chance to show that he’s serious about becoming a better race car driver and not simply making occasional appearances for the entertainment value.
Could 2027 Be the Year Cleetus Shocks Everyone?
There will undoubtedly be plenty of attention surrounding Cleetus next season. His massive online following brings a different audience to the sport, but the real challenge will be delivering on the track.
ARCA will give him opportunities to race on superspeedways, intermediate tracks, short tracks, road courses, and other challenging layouts. A full schedule will test his consistency, adaptability, and ability to learn from difficult weekends.
He won’t have to win immediately to make progress, but a strong season could change how people view his long-term potential in stock car racing.
And with RCR behind him, he’ll have an opportunity to learn from an organization that knows what it takes to develop drivers.
Cleetus has made it clear that his goal is to become the best driver he can be. Now, he has a full season to work toward that goal.