What’s Happening?

In his recent sit-down interview with Kevin Harvick, Garrett Mitchell, better known by his YouTube name Cleetus McFarland, once again called out fellow inexperienced drivers who he claims “shove their way into Cup.” While his introduction to NASCAR has been a learning curve, Mitchell is still not ruling out a future Daytona 500 attempt.

Garrett Mitchell’s conversion from a drag-racing/automotive YouTuber into an ARCA Menards Series driver has been one of the best stories of the 2025 NASCAR season.

Now, two races into his career, with at least one more start on the way, many, including Sports analyst and former NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick, are wondering what the end goal of Mitchell’s ARCA efforts is.

In this week’s guest interview on Kevin Harvick‘s Happy Hour Podcast, the now FOX Sports analyst asked Mitchell, “Where does this budding ARCA career head from here?“

In his response, Mitchell discussed his inexperience in NASCAR and addressed something he has talked about on several occasions: Telling Harvick, “You [Harvick] and I have both watched several people shove their way into Cup and look like fools.”

McFarland has previously made similar comments on other podcasts, telling a tale similar to Corey LaJoie on the Apr. 3 edition of Stacking Pennies.

“Like, we see it time and time again where some motorsports person with some pull—whatever they had, previous wins or. . . power and fame or whatever—they get a ride in Cup, and they just get humiliated because you can’t hang with these guys.” — Garrett Mitchell.

Mitchell’s comments recall veteran drivers who made lackluster NASCAR Cup Series debuts in 2025, like open-wheelers Katherine Legge and Hélio Castroneves. While he does not name them by name, these are two of the most recent examples of outsiders floundering at the Cup level.

Daytona Is Still an Option for Mitchell, but Maybe Not as Fast as He Once Thought

Mitchell also told LaJoie and his co-host Ryan “Skip” Flores in that episode that he’d rather take development slowly, I’m just gonna run ARCA until I feel ready to go run Xfinity,” Mitchell said. “And then when I feel ready to run Cup, I’m gonna run Cup or [a] Truck.”

While he has often talked about his original goal being to race in the 2027 Daytona 500, Mitchell, who made his ARCA debut at 29, is honest that ARCA has been an eye-opening experience. While he is not ruling out the 2027 Great American Race, that might still be too early.

“Our original goal was the Daytona 500 2027. And I’m not saying that’s off the board, but now that I know just a smidge about NASCAR, I still think that might be too early. Cause them guys are on a whole other level.” — Garrett Mitchell

Mitchell finished tenth in his Talladega debut last Saturday with Rette Jones Racing despite mechanical issues. His next ARCA race will be on Sept. 11 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

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NASCAR star Tyler Reddick has revealed an incredible surprise to his wife Alexa ahead of this weekend’s action at Texas.

The Cup Series hits Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday for the Wurth 400, with 23XI Racing revealing earlier this week that he is set to run a diamond-looking paint scheme for this weekend.

However, on that livery, Reddick has also chosen to surprise his wife by using her name on the car.

The 23XI star revealed images of him surprising his wife with the news on Instagram, where he also issued an emotional message explaining his decision.

“Alexa has always shown nothing but unwavering support for our family,” Reddick posted.

“And with Mother’s Day approaching, we wanted to surprise her with a little something for Texas!”

How has Tyler Reddick performed in 2025?

After winning the regular season championship in 2024, Tyler Reddick went on to miss out on ultimate glory in the championship race at Phoenix last November.

It has been somewhat of a mixed start for the No. 45 driver this season, too, with some strong finishes and some more underwhelming ones to go with them.

For example, Reddick has achieved strong results at the Daytona 500 (2nd), COTA (3rd), and Darlington (4th), but he is yet to pick up his first victory of the season.

And, whilst those outings have been strong, he has finished outside of the top 10 on six occasions, too, with his worst finish having been 24th at Las Vegas.

Last year, Reddick won three races at Talladega, Michigan, and Homestead, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to match that in 2025.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Kyle Busch team demand issued as Cup Series driver reveals doubts over future

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Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports (HMS), recently offered an insightful perspective on the team’s current sponsorship landscape, highlighting both challenges and positive developments. As one of NASCAR’s two remaining four-car teams, HMS has largely filled its sponsorship inventory for the current season, a notable achievement in the sport’s evolving commercial environment.​

“We’re pleased, things are going well,” Gordon stated. “I measure it more on activity, interest, and RFPs [Requests for Proposals] going around and people coming to visit our campus that are interested.” This uptick in engagement suggests a renewed interest from potential sponsors, which is crucial for the team’s sustained success.​

However, Gordon acknowledged that securing sponsorship deals remains a complex process. “It’s hard to close deals,” he admitted. “But at the same time, when you feel like there’s more activity or interest, the deals you’re going to close are also going to increase.” This indicates that while the path to finalizing agreements can be challenging, the heightened interest bodes well for future partnerships.​

One of the ongoing challenges in the sponsorship arena is pricing. Gordon noted, “I think there’s still a little bit of a battle as far as pricing.”

This reflects the broader industry trend where teams must balance the value they offer to sponsors with the financial realities of running a competitive racing organization.​

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Despite these challenges, HMS’ ability to attract and retain sponsors is bolstered by its strong performance on the track and its reputation within the industry. Gordon emphasized the importance of nurturing existing relationships while also seeking new opportunities.

“As we move forward, it’s about just continuing to look at the business model and try to understand how we take care of our current partners and nurture those relationships and make sure that they’re excited about NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports,” he said.​

The team’s proactive approach to sponsorship is also evident in its efforts to engage with potential partners. Gordon mentioned the significance of increased activity and interest from companies visiting the HMS campus, suggesting a hands-on strategy to showcase the team’s value proposition.​

In addition to his executive role, Gordon’s personal experience as a four-time Cup Series champion adds credibility to his insights. His transition from driver to executive has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the sport’s commercial dynamics.

DON’T MISS

This dual perspective enables him to effectively bridge the gap between the racing and business aspects of the organization.​

Looking ahead, HMS aims to build on its current momentum by continuing to deliver value to sponsors and exploring new partnerships. Gordon’s leadership and commitment to fostering strong relationships are central to this strategy. As the team navigates the complexities of sponsorship in modern NASCAR, its focus remains on sustaining success both on and off the track.​

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kyle Busch was hyped for NASCAR greatness long before he was a teenager by his Hall of Fame nominee brother, who vowed “if you think I’m good, wait until you see my little brother.”

Busch’s debut in a NASCAR national series race was delayed, though, when he turned up at California Speedway in 2001 intent to run the Truck Series race. He dominated practice in a race sponsored by Marlboro but, because he was only 16 at the time, was ruled ineligible to compete over NASCAR’s interpretation of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

The MSA prohibited individuals under 18 from participating in events sponsored by tobacco companies. And because NASCAR at the time was sponsored by Winston, the series eventually adopted its own rule six weeks later implementing a minimum age requirement of 18 that began in 2002.

Busch had no choice but to move to the American Speed Association National Tour, and then ARCA after graduating early from his Las Vegas high school.

Fast-forward to Friday when Busch celebrates his 40th birthday as a two-time Cup Series champion headed to Texas Motor Speedway with 232 national series victories. Kurt Busch, his older brother by seven years and a nominee last week to next year’s Hall of Fame class, has one Cup title and 43 career national series victories.

Busch can now laugh at his experience 24 years ago at California Speedway, where he went on to win five Cup races, including the last one in 2023 before the track was shuttered by NASCAR.

“Shut that place down,” he said, noting the irony that he’s now sponsored by zone nicotine pouches, which has an additional relationship with online retailer Nicokick. “Full circle moment.”

Busch celebrated his birthday early — over the Easter weekend, which was NASCAR’s only break of the 38-race schedule — with a vacation with wife, Samantha. They left their two children home and Samantha made a heartfelt social media post honoring her husband.

“Early celebration for Kyle’s big 4-0, love ya babe,” Samantha wrote, sharing a picture of herself and her husband at dinner on a beachfront. In a separate image, Kyle could also be seen with a small chocolate cake in front of him with a candle burning.

Busch said he and Samantha “made the most of it” even though he finds it difficult to unwind.

“Just a nice little quiet time, tried to disconnect, that’s not easy for me to do,” Busch said. “So I’m still kind of doing some work from afar, emails and things like that.”

And as for turning 40? Well, he wasn’t exactly thrilled.

Busch is in his 23rd season in the Cup Series, and although he joined Richard Childress Racing in 2023 and won three races, he went winless in Cup last year for the first time in his career and missed the playoffs. His losing streak headed to Texas is an eye-popping 67 races.

“I remember turning 30 and thinking that was going to be it,” Busch said. “It is what it is. Samantha has made the best of that for me where we celebrated my birthday on that trip. I don’t feel much older than I did five, six years ago. So that’s the good part of it. And I’m in pretty decent shape, so thankful for all of that.”

Busch briefly considered retirement at the end of the 2022 season when he parted ways with Joe Gibbs Racing, where he for now is the winningest driver in team history with Denny Hamlin closing in on his mark. Now, he’d like to race at least until his son, Brexton, turns 18 and the two can compete against each other in NASCAR.

Photos: Scenes from the 2025 Daytona 500

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Busch had no choice but to move to the American Speed Association National Tour, and then ARCA after graduating early from his Las Vegas high school.

Fast-forward to Friday when Busch celebrates his 40th birthday as a two-time Cup Series champion headed to Texas Motor Speedway with 232 national series victories. Kurt Busch, his older brother by seven years and a nominee last week to next year’s Hall of Fame class, has one Cup title and 43 career national series victories.

Busch can now laugh at his experience 24 years ago at California Speedway, where he went on to win five Cup races, including the last one in 2023 before the track was shuttered by NASCAR.

“Shut that place down,” he said, noting the irony that he’s now sponsored by zone nicotine pouches, which has an additional relationship with online retailer Nicokick. “Full circle moment.”

Busch celebrated his birthday early — over the Easter weekend, which was NASCAR’s only break of the 38-race schedule — with a vacation with wife, Samantha. They left their two children home and Samantha made a heartfelt social media post honoring her husband.

“Early celebration for Kyle’s big 4-0, love ya babe,” Samantha wrote, sharing a picture of herself and her husband at dinner on a beachfront. In a separate image, Kyle could also be seen with a small chocolate cake in front of him with a candle burning.

Busch said he and Samantha “made the most of it” even though he finds it difficult to unwind.

“Just a nice little quiet time, tried to disconnect, that’s not easy for me to do,” Busch said. “So I’m still kind of doing some work from afar, emails and things like that.”

And as for turning 40? Well, he wasn’t exactly thrilled. Busch is in his 23rd season in the Cup Series, and although he joined Richard Childress Racing in 2023 and won three races, he went winless in Cup last year for the first time in his career and missed the playoffs. His losing streak headed to Texas is an eye-popping 67 races.

“I remember turning 30 and thinking that was going to be it,” Busch said. “It is what it is. Samantha has made the best of that for me where we celebrated my birthday on that trip. I don’t feel much older than I did five, six years ago. So that’s the good part of it. And I’m in pretty decent shape, so thankful for all of that.”

Busch briefly considered retirement at the end of the 2022 season when he parted ways with Joe Gibbs Racing, where he for now is the winningest driver in team history with Denny Hamlin closing in on his mark. Now, he’d like to race at least until his son, Brexton, turns 18 and the two can compete against each other in NASCAR.

___

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