Cleetus McFarland's NASCAR Truck Debut Ends In Crash, Disappointment

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Racing is a humbling sport. You can feel like you've got it all figured out one minute, and the next, you get slapped back into reality. That was the harsh reality for YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland on Friday night in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

McFarland had an impressive qualifying run, which allowed him to start from the 12th position in his series debut, driving the No. 4 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado. However, McFarland's inexperience came back to bite him on the sixth lap of the race, when he lost control of his truck in Turn 4, and couldn't save it.

Another look at what happened to Cleetus McFarland. pic.twitter.com/qd50NLAJhH
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 14, 2026

"I corrected up, and I'm like, 'Damn, I'm about to wreck everybody,' I corrected down, and I overshot the down," McFarland said after being evaluated and released from the infield care center. "And just, man, golly, I just can't believe those guys can save it at those speeds. It's insane."

Cleetus McFarland says he simply blew it on lap 7 of the race. Frustrated that he didn’t get much of a chance to learn anything, impressed Truck Series drivers can save it in those situations. Never had a thought about dropping back to let race come to him. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/3tWMwB9GTe
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) February 14, 2026

McFarland didn't try to escape the blame, and shouldered the brunt of what ended his evening.

"Yeah, 100% my fault. Terrible mistake," McFarland admitted. "Man, it's impressive that those guys can run three wide for that long. And when that thing stepped out, I mean, you just have a couple of feet on either side, and I just didn't have the ability to gather it up, and so I wrecked myself."

While McFarland was making his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut, he did come into the event with experience at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway in the ARCA Menards Series a season ago. However, McFarland said there was an obvious difference in aggression and skill in the Truck Series field compared to the ARCA bunch.

"You know, in ARCA, they certainly didn't go three-wide on the second lap," McFarland noted. "I was like, 'Damn boys, we're freaking three wide, right now?' The aerodynamics are stronger for certain. I mean, the truck was moving around a lot, and maybe I was just so fired up, I was wheeling it too hard."

When asked if he had thought about using an age-old superspeedway strategy of laying back, and letting the race come to him, McFarland made it clear that if he qualifies near the front of the field, he has no interest in dropping to the back.

"I mean, what do you do when you qualify 12th? Do you go to the back of the pack? I don't want to do that," McFarland responded. "I guess, hopefully, I can get some more experience at Talladega Speedway in the truck, if that can come together."

Now, unfortunately, McFarland will head into Saturday's ARCA Menards Series event at Daytona without gaining any additional experience, which is truly what he was seeking in his first career start. It was just one big disappointment sandwich for the driver who cut his teeth at The Freedom Factory in Bradenton, Florida.

"The takeaway is tough because I just didn't get a chance to learn anything, you know? I was having a freaking blast, I just blew it so I don't get to learn anything at Daytona once again," McFarland anguished. "Last time I was here, I went 17 laps. This time, seven. I'm like, 'Damn, Cleet, let's stay in the race.'"

Officially, McFarland was credited with a 37th-place finish in the 37-truck field during his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. If McFarland indeed gets another crack at the Truck Series, expect him to come in with the full expectation of how quickly a NASCAR Truck Series race can turn aggressive and wild.

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