Cleetus McFarland Readies Intermediate Track Debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C.: Surprise, he’s back for more!

Cleetus McFarland will trade the camera for a steering wheel once again as he gears up for his third career ARCA Menards Series start in Friday night’s General Tire 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

McFarland’s return to ARCA competition helps launch the Memorial Day Weekend slate of racing at the high-speed 1.5-mile oval.

While his previous starts came on the mammoth superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega, Charlotte presents a new and unique challenge — one that Mitchell is eager to tackle as he looks to make a strong impression under the lights.

“Every time I strap into one of these ARCA cars, I’m learning something new,” said McFarland. “Charlotte is a whole different ballgame compared to Daytona or Talladega — there’s less margin for error, and you really have to be on it every lap.

“I realize I have a lot to learn in a short amount of time on Friday, but I’m here to represent myself, my team, and partners well, and I’m pumped to get out there and see what we can do.”

In his most recent ARCA Menards Series appearance at Talladega Superspeedway, McFarland and his Mooresville, N.C.-based team battled through early engine troubles to earn a resilient top-10 finish.

“Man, just finishing inside the top-10 at Talladega felt like a win for us,” McFarland said. “We had some issues early, but the guys didn’t give up, and we just kept fighting.

“I learned so much in that race — about patience, about strategy, about how to stay in the game even when things don’t go your way. It gave me a lot of confidence going forward.”

Forced to adapt quickly, McFarland had to learn on the fly, managing momentum and adjusting his race pace to stay competitive in the draft-heavy field.

All things considered, the setbacks at Talladega served as a valuable lesson in patience and execution — two critical factors that will be just as important for success at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“I’m going to have to get up to speed quickly in practice,” noted McFarland. “I’m not expecting to go out there and jump inside the top-five or even top-10 right off the bat. The goal is to become comfortable and then continue making progress with every lap completed.

“It definitely is going to be a different feel for me, and obviously, in watching prior ARCA Menards Series races at Charlotte, I know how sensitive the cars can be in traffic and such.

“This race is all about learning and executing and hoping we can deliver another strong finish to get ourselves ready for the next one.”

Kenetik, a ketone-based drink that’s designed to boost energy, focus, and mental clarity, will continue to support McFarland in his second ARCA Menards Series race aboard the No. 30 Ford Mustang.

Kenetik is a science-backed drink that harnesses the power of bioidentical ketones.

It’s designed to boost brain function, provide clean energy, and support overall health without caffeine or sugar. Each serving contains 12 grams of pure, bioidentical ketones.

“I’m extremely appreciative of Kenetik agreeing to jump on board for Charlotte this weekend,” offered McFarland.

“I don’t know what is going to happen during the race, but I certainly plan to race smart and be in a position to make my third ARCA Menards Series race a successful one for Rette Jones Racing, Kenetik, Ford Performance and all of those that support me.”

Rette Jones Racing co-owner Mark Rette has been impressed with McFarland’s quick adaptation to the ARCA Menards Series platform. Following the team’s solid performance at Talladega, Rette believes McFarland has what it takes to keep building momentum and continue earning the respect of his competitors.

“Cleetus has shown a real willingness to learn and improve every time he’s in the car,” said Rette.

“Talladega tested us early, but he stayed focused, listened to feedback, and brought home a strong finish. Charlotte is a totally different type of challenge, but I’m confident he’ll take the same smart approach and keep progressing.”

Greg Biffle, a 28-time NASCAR Cup Series competitor at Charlotte Motor Speedway, will be on-site in an advisory role for McFarland’s ARCA return this weekend.

Additional ARCA Menards Series races for Cleetus McFarland are pending and will be announced appropriately.

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 General Tire 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the fifth of 20 races on the 2025 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Fri., May 23, 2025, with a forty-five-minute session from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Group qualifying will immediately follow at 2:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 6:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), with the NASCAR Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90 handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the mission of building a competitive racing organization grounded in hard work, perseverance, and a racer’s mentality.

Owned by veteran racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, the team is set to field full-time entries in both the 2025 ASA STARS National Tour and the NASCAR Euro Series.

Additionally, RJR plans to compete in select events across the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR national series platforms.

Beyond its own racing efforts, Rette Jones Racing provides technical support and setup intelligence through its growing technical alliance partnership program.

pr@rettejonesracing.com