This week, social media personality Cleetus McFarland was announced to compete in three races for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) this season. However, the decision has sparked criticism within the racing community regarding McFarland’s readiness for this significant jump in competition, given his limited prior racing background.
McFarland’s experience includes some ARCA Menards events and just one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, leading many to question if he has enough seat time to compete safely and effectively at the NOAPS level.
Kyle Busch Voices Doubts About McFarland’s Preparation
Kyle Busch expressed skepticism during a media session in Phoenix about McFarland’s racing experience. He noted the vast difference in preparation compared to established drivers.
I mean he just, I don’t know,
Kyle Busch told reporters.
“I don’t know how many races he’s run. Denny Hamlin ran 10,000, right, before he got here. I don’t know if Cleetus has run 10 or not, but there’s definitely a need to having ample experience.”
Busch further emphasized the concern by comparing McFarland’s race count to that of his own young son.
My son’s probably run more races than he has, and he’s 10 years old. You know what I mean? So I don’t think that sits well with many of us.
Other Figures in NASCAR Echo Similar Reservations
Busch is not alone in his critique. Freddie Kraft, a well-known spotter for Bubba Wallace in the NASCAR Cup Series, also criticized both McFarland and NASCAR’s decision to allow him at this level.
Crash at the Rockingham truck test. Crash Lap 5 of your only truck start. Good enough for me. Approved,
Kraft wrote on Twitter.
Kraft dismissed any personal blame toward McFarland for the incidents and acknowledged the tempting nature of the opportunity.
I don’t blame Cleetus one bit. We’d all jump at the chance to just show up and get approved.
Kraft was particularly critical of McFarland’s recent Truck Series debut at Daytona, which ended abruptly due to a crash while he was running in a competitive position.
We’re just lucky the other night that he didn’t wipe out the Truck field because when he spun, he went down instead of up and he was running in the top 10 when it happened. … It was just dumb luck that he didn’t wipe out half the field,
Kraft said.
We talk about safety — I’m sure he’s a great guy, he seems like a phenomenal person, he’s got great car control in the videos I watch, he drives anything in the world — he’s not ready for what he’s doing. So, you can’t approve these people to go out there.
Potential Implications for NASCAR and McFarland’s Career
The backlash surrounding McFarland’s ascent into NOAPS raises urgent questions about the evaluation process used by NASCAR to approve drivers for higher competition tiers. The criticisms from experienced professionals like Kyle Busch and Freddie Kraft highlight concerns about safety and long-term development.
For McFarland, this scrutiny may impact public perception and place additional pressure on his upcoming races. NASCAR may need to reassess how emerging drivers are vetted to maintain the integrity and safety of its series.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on McFarland’s performance and NASCAR’s response to these growing concerns within the racing community.
.@KyleBusch says he would have liked to see Cleetus run more races before moving up.
“My son has probably run more races than he has, and he’s 10 years old.” pic.twitter.com/c8uRgv9pAh
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) March 7, 2026
Crash at the Rockingham truck test.
Crash lap 5 of your only truck start.Good enough for me.
Approved ✅(I don’t blame Cleetus one bit. We’d all jump at the chance to just show up and get approved) https://t.co/SJUPnwq5DT
— Freddie Kraft (@FreddieKraft) March 4, 2026
