ARCA Menards driver Garrett Mitchell, aka Cleetus McFarland, will make his return to the series with the same team he drove for last year. Following that, McFarland was featured in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Friday. During the conversation, he became emotional while talking about a dream he had put together with the late Greg Biffle the previous season.

Mitchell debuted in the ARCA Menards Series last season with Rette Jones Racing. He drove the #30 Ford for the team on four different tracks, securing his career-best finish at Bristol Motor Speedway (P17). McFarland will be driving the same ride this season at the Daytona International Speedway inaugural race. However, he will pay homage to the fallen legend Greg Biffle, with ‘Be Like Biff’ inscribed on the rear bumper.

During the conversation, Cleetus McFarland claimed Biffle had a significant impact on his life. Additionally, the duo shared the same goal for McFarland to compete in the Greatest American Race, specifically the Daytona 500. The YouTuber further explained (via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio):

“Greg had a lot of impact on me and my personality, all the way to the way I treat my family, and a lot of my life. I absolutely would not be here today without Greg Biffle.”

“I got a few things on my bucket list to get behind the wheel of. Just figuring it out as I go, there’s still plenty out there. […] I got a lot on my list, but ARCA has certainly been a fun part of it, and my goal is to make it to the DAYTONA 500. So, I got a lot of work left here still. I’m carrying our mission of getting to the DAYTONA 500. That’s what I started with, all this stuff, so I gotta finish it,” he concluded.

The preseason practice was held on January 9, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway. Cleetus McFarland drove the #30 Ford and wrapped up the session in seventh place with a best lap time of 49.086 seconds among 65 drivers on the grid. The season’s inaugural race, the General Tire 200, is scheduled for February 14, 2026.

“Has been some of the greatest moments of my life”: Cleetus McFarland paid tribute to the late Greg Biffle via a YouTube video

Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family lost their lives on December 18, 2025, in an aviation crash. The Biffle family was flying from North Carolina to Florida to meet Cleetus McFarland. However, within ten minutes of takeoff, the Cessna C550 faced mechanical issues. The pilots tried an emergency landing at Statesville Regional Airport, but unfortunately, the plane crashed.

Reflecting on the loss, Cleetus McFarland uploaded a 41-minute-long video to pay tribute to Biffle. The video featured the former NASCAR driver’s racing highlights along with his humanitarian work after Hurricane Helene. McFarland also claimed he saw Biffle as his mentor and wrote a comment recalling his memories with the late Biffle.

Cleetus McFarland wrote:

“The last year and a half with him has been some of the greatest moments of my life. I am lucky to have had him as a mentor, and a close friend. I’ve never met someone I had so much in common with. His wife, Cristina, was an absolute pleasure to be around and an amazing mother. … It’s an absolute tragedy we had to lose the Biffle’s like this.”

Cleetus McFarland concluded that he was developing a good relationship with Biffle. The duo shared mutual interests in helicopters and Crown Victorias. Additionally, Biffle and his wife seamlessly entered McFarland’s friend circle.