(Video) “Idiot!” Cleetus McFarland Wrecks Himself on NASCAR Truck Series Debut at Daytona

Cleetus McFarland NASCAR Truck Series debut turned out to a nightmare as he wrecked out on lap six of the race at Daytona.

(Video) “Idiot!” Cleetus McFarland Wrecks Himself on NASCAR Truck Series Debut at Daytona

Cleetus McFarland Wrecks at Daytona (Via motorport.com and @rebilasphoto/X)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck season opener at Daytona International Speedway marked the debut of YouTube sensation Cleetus McFarland. It turned out to be a nightmare, as the No. 4 Chevrolet truck wrecked in just sixth lap of the race, bringing out the first caution of the race. Fortunately, he was the only vehicle involved in the incident.

Cleetus McFarland a.k.a Garrett Mitchell earned his Truck series seat with Niece Motorsports following his massive fan following and impressive performance in the three ARCA races he started last year. But the lack experience from late Greg Biffle’s pupil was evident at Daytona as in his own words he wrecked himself coming out of Turn-4.

It was insane from the start. We were immediately three-wide, which I wasn’t expecting. … I was having the time of my life, literally, and I just did not check myself before I wrecked myself. Got loose coming out of (Turn) 4 and I was just flying.

Cleetus McFarland told FOX pit reporter Amanda Busick.

Mitchell couldn’t handle his Truck when it got tight in the early three wide battle for position that started in lap two of the race. He overcorrected himself to left like an idiot in his own words and ended slamming hard into the inside wall, before coming into a stop in the infield grass.

I put too much wheel into it because I was getting a little tight, because we were freaking three-wide from the second lap on. … I overcorrected to the left like an idiot, that’s something Biff did not teach me, and put myself on a trajectory to slam into the wall, wrecked the truck, and now here I stand in the worst spot to do an interview in the entire Daytona Speedway.

Cleetus McFarland added.

Cleetus McFarland asserts the incident was 100% his fault

In his post-race media session, the racer pointed out that the incident was 100% result of his mistake and that made him respect of the rest of grid more over their race craft. He didn’t get to experience the sudden change in drivers crowding the lanes in his short ARCA career and that played a significant role in him crashing out.

It was 100-percent my fault, terrible mistake. Man, it’s impressive those guys can run three-wide for that long, I just didn’t have the ability to gather it up, so I wrecked myself. In ARCA, they certainly didn’t go three-wide on the second lap. I was like, ‘Damn, boys, we’re freaking three-wide now?!’ The aerodynamics are stronger, for certain. The truck was moving around a lot, and maybe I was just so fired up, I was just wheeling it too hard.

Cleetus McFarland told Bob Pockrass.

Later McFarland shared his disappointment with ending his race early and failing to learn anything new from his Truck debut. He had to stay in the race longer to learn more about Superspeedway racing. From two races he started at Daytona he has driven for a combined 24 laps, not enough to make any solid progress.

The takeaway is tough, because I didn’t get a chance to learn anything, you know? I was having a freaking blast. But I blew it, so I don’t get to learn anything from Daytona once again. Last time I was here I went 17 laps. This time I went seven. I’m like, damn, let’s stay in the race.

Cleetus McFarland added.

The results show McFarland needs to make more starts in the ARCA series and perfect his craft, before making another attempt in the third division on stock car racing. He isn’t experienced enough tackle the challenges of superior competition at the moment.

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