Garrett Mitchell, better known as “Cleetus McFarland,” has been announced to be making his Craftsman Truck Series debut for Niece Motorsports. This race will take place at none other than Daytona in just over a week. Before this happens, Mitchell must gain NASCAR approval. If he does, he will suit up for the Fresh from Florida 250 on Feb. 13 at 7:30 PM ET.
Not only will Mitchell race for Niece Motorsports, but so will dirt biking legend, Travis Pastrana. The duo tops the star-studded cast that Niece will field in their Chevrolets. This can be marked as a great PR move, above all else.
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To round out a trio of Niece Motorsports drivers, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a former Daytona 500 winner, will also make his long-awaited Truck Series debut in the No. 45.
Mitchell made his racing debut in 2025. In total, he ran four races in the ARCA Menards Series with two top-10 finishes at Charlotte and Talladega. Of his four races, Mitchell ran three of them at superspeedways. One of those was right there at Daytona, although Mitchell wrecked after just 17 laps.
“Cleetus McFarland” to Go Left at Daytona
Feb 14, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; Garrett Mitchell aka Cleetus McFarland during practice at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
(© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Mitchell, 30, from Bradenton, Florida, is being brought back to race in 2026. “Cleetus McFarland” is a well-known social media personality. Under his own racing persona, Mitchell runs a YouTube channel with 4.6 million subscribers. His page features an array of motorsports content, including testing new vehicles, unique challenges and stunts, and pure, never-before-seen races.
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“McFarland” is also well-known for his relationship with “The Biff,” the late Greg Biffle. The duo has collaborated on past videos. This race for Mitchell will surely have some added emotion in memory of Biffle. Mitchell released a 41-minute tribute video to Biffle late last year.
Debuting in any NASCAR series is no easy task, especially for a non-NASCAR commonality. Here are some similar debuts in recent years:
Hailie Deegan, Off-Road Racer, Social Media Personality
Deegan started 34th at Kansas in 2020. She would go on to climb the ladder and finish 16th for DGR-Crosley.
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Frankie Muniz, Acting Star, ARCA Menards Series Racer
Muniz would debut in the Truck Series in 2025 at Nashville. He would qualify in 32nd place and finish in 31st.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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