ROCKINGHAM, N.C.: Ready or not, Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway race weekend is here.
Garrett Mitchell — better known as Cleetus McFarland — backed by his millions of YouTube subscribers, is set for a busy weekend at “The Rock,” competing in both the ARCA Menards Series East and making his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut as part of a doubleheader day of racing in the Piedmont.
An extremely busy weekend of practice, qualifying and 375 laps of racing at Rockingham Speedway presents a new opportunity for McFarland to not only continue honing his craft, but also put himself in contention for two competitive finishes.
Mitchell is no stranger to the ARCA Menards Series East division. While this weekend marks his first start of the season, he competed in the combination event with the premier ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East divisions last fall at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, conquering the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” with a solid top-20 finish.
This weekend’s Rockingham ARCA Menards East 125 will serve as his first standalone ARCA Menards Series East appearance under the tutelage of former ARCA Menards Series championship crew chief Mark Rette.
With five ARCA Menards Series national starts under his belt — including an 11th-place finish in the season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway — McFarland is determined to keep absorbing the intel around him while delivering results that may give the naysayers reason to reconsider.
“Man, I’m just excited for the opportunity more than anything,” said Mitchell. “To be able to come to a place like Rockingham, run double duty and keep learning every time I’m on track — that’s what this is all about for me.
“I’ve got a great group around me with Mark and the team, and I’m just trying to soak up everything I can and put together two solid races. If we can do that, I think we’ll turn some heads this weekend.”
Just hours after taking the checkered flag in his second ARCA Menards Series platform race of the year, McFarland will climb aboard the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, aiming to capitalize on the laps gained in the ARCA car and translate that experience into a productive performance in his series debut.
“That’s the plan — get as many laps as I can in the ARCA car and carry that right over into the O’Reily Auto Parts Series race,” added Mitchell. “Track time is everything for me right now, so having that first race earlier in the day is huge.
“Then jumping into the RCR car, it’s about being smart, hitting my marks and putting together a clean day. If we can stay out of trouble and keep learning, I think we’ll have something to be proud of when it’s all said and done — and hopefully look ahead to more races as the season moves forward.”
While finishing well in both races is important to McFarland as he continues to build his racing résumé, he is equally focused on earning his competitors’ respect. With more than 50 different drivers expected to compete this weekend, he’ll be challenged to race hard — but also do so in a smart, productive manner.
“I know I’ve got a lot to prove out there,” sounded Mitchell. “These guys do this every week, so for me it’s about racing them the right way — giving respect and earning it back. I want to be competitive, but I also want people to know I’m not out there doing anything crazy.
“If I can leave this weekend with solid finishes and the respect of the guys I’m racing around, that’s a big win for me.”
McFarland is well aware that the competition between the two series will be vastly different, but he also understands that confidence is a key ingredient to success. His focus remains on earning his third career ARCA top-10 finish while building on his performance from the “World Center of Racing” earlier this year.
“I feel like every time I get in one of these ARCA cars, I’m getting more comfortable and understanding what I need to do,” explained Mitchell. “Daytona gave me a lot of confidence, and now it’s about building on that — being more consistent, making better decisions and putting together a full race. If we can do that, I think a top-10 is definitely within reach on Saturday afternoon.”
Kenetik, a ketone-based performance drink formulated to enhance energy, focus and mental clarity, will return to support McFarland in ARCA Menards Series competition this season.
Backed by science, Kenetik harnesses the power of bioidentical ketones to deliver clean, sustained energy without caffeine or sugar. Each serving contains 12 grams of pure bioidentical ketones, engineered to support brain function and overall performance.
“I’m excited to have Kenetik back with us for ARCA this season, especially for a big weekend like Rockingham,” said McFarland. “They believed in what we’re building, and I take a lot of pride in representing partners who invest in our program.
“It’s important to continue building their name both on and off the track while focusing on earning a strong finish that helps prepare us for additional races, including Talladega Superspeedway later this month.”
Rette Jones Racing co-owner and crew chief Mark Rette is confident McFarland can surpass expectations this weekend, especially while competing on another smaller race track.
“He’s done a great job of coming in with the right attitude and putting in the work to improve every time he’s on track,” offered Rette. “Racing at a place like Rockingham is going to be another good test for him, but I think it plays into his strengths of continuing to learn and adapt.
“We know this is a big weekend for him with the double duty, and our goal is to make sure he’s as prepared and comfortable as possible in the ARCA car so he can carry that confidence forward. We’ll also be right there to support him, not just this weekend, but later in the day as he makes his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut.”
Rette Jones Racing and McFarland will also continue to honor the memory of former NASCAR icon Greg Biffle, who tragically died in a plane crash in December 2025 along with his wife, two children and three others in an accident in Statesville, North Carolina.
The NASCAR community has embraced the phrase “Be Like Biff” in recent weeks and months as a tribute to Biffle’s competitive spirit, generosity, selflessness and love of life — a mantra McFarland and the team plan to carry with them into this weekend’s event as they celebrate his legacy while pursuing success at Rockingham.
Just like at Daytona, McFarland will have a Rette Jones Racing teammate for Saturday afternoon’s Rockingham ARCA Menards East 125 at Rockingham Speedway. Fellow friend and internet influencer George Siciliano — known as LS George or on YouTube as “Squirrel McNutt” — will join him in the lineup.
Siciliano is fresh off his own debut in the ARCA Menards Series East last weekend at Hickory Motor (N.C.) Speedway, where he rebounded from an early off-track excursion to finish 13th. Rockingham will present a much different challenge in nearly every regard, as he looks to put together a clean, productive afternoon in a Rette Jones Racing-prepared car alongside McFarland.
For more on Cleetus McFarland, like him on Facebook (Cleetus McFarland) and follow him on Instagram (@garrett_1320video), TikTok (@cleetusmcfarland) and YouTube.
For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing), or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and X | Twitter (@RetteJones30).
The Rockingham ARCA Menards East 125 (125 laps | 200 miles) is the second of eight races on the 2026 ARCA Menards Series East schedule. Practice begins Saturday, April 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. ET. Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole Qualifying follows at 10:05 a.m. with the race scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 11:30 a.m. ET. The race will be televised live on FloRacing and the NASCAR Channel, while ARCARacing.com will provide live timing and scoring throughout the day’s activities. All times are local (ET).
About Rette Jones Racing:
Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the vision of building a competitive racing organization grounded in hard work, preparation and a relentless, never-give-up attitude.
Owned by veteran racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR continues to expand its footprint across multiple platforms.
In 2026, the team plans to field a full-time entry in the ASA STARS National Tour, while also competing in the ARCA Menards Series and other motorsports disciplines as part of its continued growth and competitive expansion.
Beyond its on-track efforts, Rette Jones Racing provides technical and setup expertise through its technical alliance partnership program, supplying teams with engineering support, chassis consultation, and race-day insight designed to elevate performance and foster long-term success.
