Cleetus McFarland’s NASCAR dream nearly turned into a nightmare at Rockingham. After weeks of speculation and debates, Cleetus McFarland is finally going to start the O’Reilly race with Richard Childress Racing tomorrow. Though he qualified at P35, which makes things tough for the team, he is still happy with the experience, which left him totally “wussed” and scared during the sessions.

Cleetus McFarland completes qualifying amidst issues

The first half of the session was basically devastating for Cleetus McFarland. There were some radio troubles on the team’s end, and he was left unable to communicate with them. For McFarland, those few minutes were highly scary, and he was unable to comprehend what to do.

Nevertheless, instead of dwelling on regrets, McFarland was going to be happy that he was able to fulfill his dream.

“Well, you know it was pretty terrifying for a minute there. The radios were going in and out. I had no idea where the hell I was here on the Rock. But we powered the Tommy’s Express RCR No. 33 into a decent spot. I mean, I’m living the American dream out here. Having the time of my life, just going to go and hit this qualifier hard. And if I get better than last place, I am going to be happy.”

Although McFarland could not find himself a better place, it was not like he was trying to risk it at all. Only days ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had advised him to stay out of the limelight. Instead of making unnecessary maneuvers, Dale Jr. advised him to just enjoy his race and learn as much as he can.

It looks like McFarland was following that advice with full devotion. He admitted that he was ready to go slow and try his best to finish the session in one piece. For McFarland, controlling the car and making it turn was the most difficult part. He was unable to understand or master the power delivery of the O’Reilly car in such a short time.

Considering the huge skill gap between him and the others, McFarland decided that it was better not to get in the others’ way. He might not have won the pole position, but his mere presence was enough for the fans on Friday.

Cleetus McFarland stays humble with fan attention

McFarland was swarmed in his garage after his return to the pits post-qualifying. And he was rather modest about the attention he was receiving. He readily thanked fans for being present there and requested them to wait until he cooled down from the nap.

McFarland even offered some cheeky insights about his performance to the people in the garage. “Dude, I wussed out in the qualifier. Do you know what it is, dude? We get on throttle so early it feels like you’re doing 200. That’s the reason I was being cautious even though I know the car has the grip due to the qualifying setup.”

He meticulously offered the fans the autographs and pictures that they wanted without trying to escape them. It just goes on to show how important McFarland might end up becoming to NASCAR.

Even though he is a last-place driver who readily accepts that he has no place among the O’Reilly veterans, the fans do not care. His audience is happy to watch him compete in the NASCAR race at Rockingham. For that, they are readily flocking to the track to enjoy him competing and finishing the race. He may not win the race, but he is definitely winning hearts this Saturday.

The metrics from the O’Reilly race this Saturday are something that almost everyone will look forward to. NASCAR is actively accepting that Cleetus McFarland’s presence is bringing them more viewers, and it might just be a good sign. Who knows? With more practice and a little bit of luck, McFarland might end up making his dream come true at the Daytona 500.