Apparently, showing up with a YouTube following is enough to tick off a chunk of the NASCAR crowd these days. Cleetus McFarland and Squirrel McNutt have been catching heat from purists who think they’re just social media guys cashing in, not “real” racers. But here’s the thing. While the noise got louder, so did their results! And at Rockingham, McNutt didn’t just show up; he gave those critics something to seriously think about.

Cleetus McFarland and Co. have ‘arrived’

“I’m happy. Real happy. My boy got 4th, boys, hey man, how dare anybody say we weren’t born to be NASCAR drivers? All right, we’re up here. Top five and top ten in Rockingham.”

That was George Siciliano, better known by his social media stage name, Squirrel McNutt, firing back at every doubter who questioned his place on the grid. And honestly, he had every right to.

At Rockingham Speedway, McNutt didn’t just survive. Rather, he impressed. Despite battling a worn tire for a significant portion of the race, he still brought the car home in ninth place in the ARCA Menards Series East event. That kind of grit isn’t something you fake for YouTube views. It’s the kind of drive that earns respect the hard way. Lap by lap, problem by problem.

And he wasn’t the only one making noise. Ahead of his much-hyped NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Rockingham, Cleetus McFarland (real name Garrett Mitchell) also lined up in the same ARCA Menards East race. He didn’t just participate either; he delivered a career-best fourth-place finish, quietly backing up the hype with actual results on track.

“I had more confidence today than I’ve ever had in a stock car. Even though I got the world against me, I got all these people here rooting for me,” McFarland said, perfectly capturing the strange mix of criticism and support surrounding their journey.

For two guys labeled as “outsiders,” that’s not just a decent showing, but a major statement to their haters. Because at some point, results start speaking louder than resumes. And if Rockingham proved anything, it’s that these so-called content creators aren’t just here for clicks.

They’re here to compete.

The Greg Biffle connection

For Cleetus McFarland and Squirrel McNutt (Siciliano), this isn’t just about proving doubters wrong. It also runs much deeper than that. Their journey into stock car racing is tied to a personal promise made to their late friend, Greg Biffle. The goal was simple, yet powerful: one day, they’d share the track together in an ARCA Menards Series race.

That promise finally began to take shape at Rockingham Speedway, where both drivers were entered in the same ARCA Menards Series East event for the first time. And according to Siciliano, none of this would’ve even felt possible without Biffle’s influence.

“I always loved NASCAR, but I never thought there was a real opportunity for someone like myself. Once [Biffle] got [Cleetus] in there and showed him the path, [we realized all three of us] could do it. Obviously, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Of course I wanted to drive in NASCAR.”

The connection traces back to an unlikely starting point: a Crown Vic race at Stafford Speedway. When a driver dropped out, Biffle stepped in, creating the first real link between himself, McFarland, and Siciliano. What started as a one-off moment quickly turned into a lasting bond.

That bond only grew stronger in 2024, during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Biffle and McFarland worked together on relief efforts, flying helicopters into isolated parts of the Appalachian Mountains to deliver supplies to stranded residents, showing that their partnership extended far beyond racing.

And maybe that’s what makes this whole story hit differently. This isn’t just about outsiders trying to break in, but about two people passionate about racing carrying forward a promise, one lap at a time.