Prior to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race Friday night, there was a lot of hype around several drivers who aren’t regular competitors.
The fanfare ended early for two of those drivers at Daytona International Speedway when they wrecked out of the race. Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Champion and Hall of Fame driver, made the race in the No. 25 Dodge Ram for Kaulig Racing. The other was YouTube star Cleetus McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell.
Cleetus McFarland Brings Out First Caution
It took six laps for the night’s first yellow flag to fly when the No. 4 Chevrolet of Garrett Mitchell, AKA Cleetus McFarland, got loose coming out of Turn 4. He careened to the inside retaining and bounced into the infield grass tearing up the turf before coming to a stop.
McFarland climbed out on his own before taking the obligatory ambulance ride to the Infield Care Center. He was checked out, cleared for release and credited with the last-place finish of 37th.
“We immediately went three wide, which I wasn’t expecting,” McFarland said outside the Care Center. “I was having the time of my life, literally again, and I just did not check myself before I wrecked myself.
“When I was coming out of Turn 4, I was flying. I just put too much wheel into because I as running a little tight. I was just trying to not wreck the guy outside of me. I started to go loose to the outside and thought ‘damn, I am not going to wreck 30 other races cars.’
“I turned to the left, like an idiot, and that’s something Biff (Greg Biffle) did not teach me. I put myself on a trajectory right to the inside wall and now I stand in the worst spot to be interviewed at Daytona International Speedway.”
Tony Stewart Involved in Crash, Ends Race Early
As the field was racing down the backstretch on Lap 36, the No. 98 of Jake Garcia got turned to the right and across the hood of Tony Stewart. With no place to go, his No 25 Dodge Ram bounced off the outside wall damaging the right side.
Driving to pit road and the attention of his Kaulig Racing crew, they directed Stewart behind the wall for further assessment. It was determined the Truck was extensively damaged and would not continue leaving Stewart with a 36th-place finish.
“It was just getting fun out there,” Stewart said. “We just didn’t know what we were going to have balance wise if we went back out there. We were a little free in the beginning.
“I tried sneaking up on it and the first adjustment didn’t really move the needle. Then they tried track bar and wedge adjustment, and it actually started to respond. We probably needed to make that adjustment one more time.
“We got in a spot where we were three wide and I could start to hustle again. I’m not sure what happened underneath the truck.”
Will Smoke Race a Truck Again
Stewart, affectionately known by his nickname of Smoke, was asked by his crew chief Alex Yontz if he would come back and race with them again.
“Well, I don’t know, I didn’t think I was going to be back here again 10 years ago when I retired,” Stewart quipped. “I guess I just have to learn to never say never.”
Tony Stewart and Cleetus McFarland Wreck out of NASCAR Daytona Truck Race