On 19th February 2025, Cleetus McFarland made his much-anticipated NASCAR debut in the Daytona ARCA Menards Series Race. He qualified 30th and made good laps before cutting his journey short due to an accident. Despite the setback, McFarland got more than he could’ve asked. He visited Mooresville’s JR Motorsport and met with the Xfinity Series team owner, the legendary Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Excited to meet the man, the myth, the legend,” said the American YouTuber, who also appeared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast on 20th February and entertained the audience with a near two-hour conversation about the high-octane sport.
Needless to say, their discussion kept everyone hooked, but there was more to come! McFarland dropped a picture with Dale Earnhardt Jr., hinting at a collaboration. And their fans? Instantly hyped with excitement! The American YouTuber, aka Lawrence Garrett Mitchell, was seen driving a truck inspired by Dale Earnhardt’s iconic #3 car livery featuring the black color a few days ago. The content creator even installed a big spoiler because Manuel from Midnight Performance told him, “We have to have a wing on our Truck for it to perform on the quarter-mile.”
Although Dale Jr. never raced with this particular truck, the YouTuber’s tribute was prominent. And going by the latest update, it looks like there might be a big collaboration video coming up soon, which could feature Jr. piloting the No. 3 Truck. Yesterday, he shared a photo with Earnhardt Jr. on his official IG account with the caption, “Big video dropping in the morning .” McFarland tagged the Xfinity Series team owner and Dirty Mo Media, bringing excitement about something new in the making.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 18, 2025
Later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. also shared the photo on X with the eyes emoji, fuelling the fans’ curiosity. And people’s reactions? Too priceless to miss!
Fans scream, “hell yeah” about Dale Earnhardt Jr. & Cleetus McFarland collaboration
Dale Jr. has restricted his racing schedule to the CARS Tour and has no clear plan when he will return to NASCAR. But now that he’s partnered with McFarland, fans are hoping to see him compete in the special race, Freedom 500, hosted by the YouTube sensation. The YouTuber owns Freedom Factory oval track and has a 50% stake in Bradenton Motorsports Park. Well, if the veteran driver turns up for the event, expect a sold-out show as fans are eager to bag the tickets. “More than excited!! Life long fan! Watching you race growing up is the reason I’ve started racing myself, and seeing you and cleet hanging out is awesome! If you race the Freedom 500 next year I’m buying the tickets yesterday,” commented a fan.
Dale Jr. retired from full-time racing in 2017. But that hasn’t resulted in a dip in his popularity appeal or influence over the sport. If anything, he’s become the voice of NASCAR through his podcast, the Dale Jr. Download, broadcast stints with NBC and now with Prime Video. He’s also opening up his personal life with a podcast show with his wife Amy Earnhardt, and now he is collaborating with McFarland. Talk about attracting a younger audience to the sport, Jr. is doing right that even without driving a car on Sunday. And that, in particular, stuck out for this fan. “This is everything. Bussin with the boys podcast, Cletus podcast, and now you are at the freedom factory. The new podcast with Amy….. Dale u r truly killing it right now and it’s damn good to see this side of you.”
The appreciations didn’t end there. Another fan shared a heartwarming moment of meeting this NASCAR icon, expressing how Dale Earnhardt Jr’s legacy will remain in people’s hearts. “The glimpse into your life has been amazing Jr! I saw you working for NBC on pit road at Loudon a few years ago but I didn’t want to bug you while you were working. Wanted to just shake your hand and thank you for all you do for us fans!” commented the person.
Seeing Jr. driving the truck, a few fans hoped that he would make his return to the Truck Series with the same ride. Interestingly, he never competed in a single truck series race when he was starting out as a rookie driver in NASCAR. He turned towards the Busch Series before taking over the #8 DEI car in the NASCAR Cup Series. Given how Dale Jr. is unclear about his racing in NASCAR, fans want to see him ride the #8 truck before he calls it quits from racing. “Plz run a truck race at some point before fully hanging it up!”
The Dale Earnhardt Jr X Cleetus McFarland’s latest collaboration has already heightened fans’ nerves with excitement. Who knows, we might see more cool stuff brewing from this partnership very soon?
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