Cleetus McFarland’s NASCAR career may be about to get a whole lot busier.
The YouTube star turned stock car driver, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, is reportedly preparing to compete full time in the ARCA Menards Series with Richard Childress Racing in 2027.
The potential move would mark a significant step for McFarland, who has spent much of 2026 gaining experience in ARCA while also making his first starts in NASCAR’s national series.
And if the report proves accurate, the 31-year-old could soon be trading a part-time racing schedule for an entire season behind the wheel.
Cleetus McFarland Linked to Full-Time ARCA Ride With Richard Childress Racing
The latest development emerged following NASCAR’s Talladega weekend, where McFarland competed in Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race.
During an episode of The Burnout podcast, Motorsport.com’s Matt Weaver said McFarland is planning to race full time in ARCA with Richard Childress Racing next season.
“He’s going full-time ARCA with RCR next year,” Weaver said.
Neither McFarland nor Richard Childress Racing has formally announced the arrangement, meaning the reported plans remain unconfirmed.
Still, the timing is interesting.
Ahead of Friday’s Truck Series race at Talladega, McFarland teased an upcoming announcement, telling reporters that some of the plans being finalized were “so cool and unexpected.”
He did not reveal what those plans involved.
His Talladega weekend ultimately ended in disappointment when he was caught in an accident and failed to finish the Truck Series race. But the result did little to diminish the larger question surrounding his racing future.
How far does McFarland intend to take this?
A Full-Time Season Would Be His Biggest Racing Commitment Yet
McFarland has brought an unusual level of attention to the lower ranks of stock car racing, thanks in large part to the massive audience he built through his automotive YouTube channel.
But behind the internet celebrity is a driver who has been steadily working to improve.
During the 2026 season, McFarland earned his first ARCA Menards Series pole at Michigan and nearly won at Talladega. He also recorded a fourth-place finish at Rockingham.
His transition into NASCAR’s national ranks has been considerably more difficult.
McFarland made two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts with Richard Childress Racing, finishing 32nd and 35th. Those outings highlighted the learning curve facing a driver still relatively new to competition at this level.
A full ARCA season would give him something that occasional starts cannot: consistent seat time, repeated opportunities to work with a team and a chance to develop across a much wider range of tracks.
There is also an intriguing connection to RCR.
McFarland already has a developmental relationship with the organization, although Richard Childress Racing has not fielded an ARCA Menards Series entry since 2011. That year, Ty Dillon won the championship for the team.
Returning to the series with McFarland would therefore represent a notable move for both parties.
For now, the reported deal is just that: a report.
But after a season in which McFarland has gone from internet personality to an increasingly serious presence in NASCAR’s developmental ranks, a full-time ARCA campaign would be a logical next challenge.
And with McFarland already promising news about his future, an official announcement could provide the answer fans have been waiting for.
Cleetus McFarland Reportedly Set for Major NASCAR Move in 2027