Even though there is no Cup Series action this week, NASCAR fans still have something to look forward to. During the O’Reilly Series race at the Rockingham Speedway this week, Cleetus McFarland is set to make his O’Reilly debut with Richard Childress Racing. It is a move that has been under heavy discussion and controversial debate for the past few weeks. So what does Dale Jr., one of the most respected voices in the sport, think about all this?

Dale Jr. offers no-nonsense advice to Cleetus McFarland

While everyone is focusing on the approval process that got McFarland to the O’Reilly series, Dale Jr. is concerned about something else instead. Cleetus McFarland got a lot of negative spotlight owing to his crash at the Daytona Truck race. So this time, Dale Jr. wants McFarland to keep a low profile instead and enjoy the chance given to him.

“I told Cleetus to stay out of the news. Go race and have fun. My expectation, and I mean this in the best possible way. My expectation is for him to not be fast, right? Do not try to do any heroic s***, just go out there, run the laps, and learn.”

While talking to Dale Jr. earlier, Cleetus McFarland admitted that he was afraid of soiling his reputation further. So it looks like all the criticism and hate directed against him is slowly starting to get to his head. However, Dale Jr. does not want him to give up yet and instead focus on getting the most positives out of his race at Rockingham.

“I talked to him the other night; he’s like, ‘Man, I do not want to embarrass myself. I hope I will be good.’ Do not worry about being good; you are not going to be good in race 1. Think about the long game, like you are going to need a bunch of races before this starts to work. 

“To do everything conservatively, learn what you can learn, go through the process, get out and go, ‘Alright, I am ready for the next one.’ I don’t care where he finishes. Just go out there, and run all the laps.”

Dale Jr.’s advice brings forward the cruel reality for McFarland. It is true that almost no one expects him to succeed or magically win the race. Yet, there are many who are praying for his downfall, only to try to bring him down more. McFarland already has a Truck series ride owing to his sponsor.

His deal with Richard Childress Racing is giving him a golden chance to improve himself and face the heat of racing with veterans who won’t forgive easily. So Dale Jr. wants him to absorb the pressure and turn his own racing career into something good. For now, he can only learn and try to stay out of the way. In racing, it is important to carry a good reputation forward.

But what does Cleetus McFarland feel about the questions that are being raised about his racing career?

Cleetus McFarland accepts the criticism

Usually, drivers try to downplay criticism or rumors about them by using their past achievements as an example. In Cleetus McFarland’s case, it is rather difficult to do so. Since he does not have an active background as a racing driver, his sudden rise to the Truck series is raising many eyebrows.

So instead of trying to avoid the criticism or accusations, Cleetus McFarland has decided to accept them and try to incorporate them into his racing to make the critics eat their words. In his recent interview, he also brought forth an honest admission about his own aspirations from NASCAR.

“I get it. From the outside in, it’s like, why does this guy get to race in the O’Reilly Series? Here’s the deal: if anyone got the call from Richard Childress, who’s my age and a race car driver, wanting to be a race car driver, and said, ‘Hey, do you want to come run our car?’ I mean, it’s a no-brainer to say yes. How could I turn that opportunity down?” 

And that’s true; Richard Childress Racing is among the better teams in the O’Reilly Series. When a team as famous as that offers you a call, you do not try to debate it. In NASCAR, it is all about the opportunity available to you at a given point in time.

What he is getting today might not be available tomorrow. There is always a bigger fish in the sea, so in the future, there might be a driver who has a better reputation and following than him, and he would lose his shot at an O’Reilly ride with a top team. Thus, it is no wonder that McFarland prioritized his own career and decided to take a leap of faith.