Cleetus McFarland - Fresh From Florida 250 Race Preview
Event: Fresh From Florida 250 (100 laps / 250 miles)
Round: 1 of 25 (Season Opener)
Track: Daytona International Speedway
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date & Time: Friday, February 13 | 7:30 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Daytona Stats:
NCTS Starts: 23; Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 8; Best Finish: 3rd (Ross Chastain, 2019).
- Stacked Driver Lineup: Niece Motorsports is bringing four high-profile drivers to Daytona for Friday's NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) season-opening race. With global motorsports icons, viral content creators, Cup Series superstars, and international flare, the team is sure to have its share of fan favorites.
No. 4 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Garrett Mitchell (Cleetus McFarland) | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Hell Yeah Brother: YouTube star Garrett Mitchell (aka Cleetus McFarland) will attempt to make his first-career NCTS start this week driving the No. 4 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports. McFarland competed in four ARCA Menards Series events in 2025, earning his best-career finish of ninth-place at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
- Number Change: Over the offseason, Niece Motorsports unveiled a new truck number for the team's fourth entry. Switching over from the No. 41 of past years, the newly-rebranded No. 4 truck will make its debut this weekend.
- On the Box: Veteran Crew Chief Mike Shiplett will oversee the No. 4 team this season. Shiplett has been associated with the team since 2024, and split crew chiefing duties last year between the No. 41 and No. 42 teams.
- On the Roof: Joel Edmonds, who spent several years of his career spotting for Greg Biffle, will return to the spotter's stand as McFarland's eyes in the sky.
- POV: Fans will be able to ride along with McFarland throughout the entire race with onboard camera views that will be live streamed on NASCAR's YouTube channel.
- McFarland's Daytona Stats:
ARCA Starts: 1; Best Finish: 30th (2025).
- Shiplett's Daytona Stats:
NCS Starts: 13; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 9th (2009).
NOAPS Starts: 14; Wins: 1 (Kyle Larson, 2016); Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 4.
NCTS Starts: 2; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 4th (2024).
- On the Truck: McFarland's No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Black Rifle Coffee Company and BRUNT Workwear. The truck will run a special stylized number font as a tribute to Greg Biffle.
- Home Race: McFarland's hometown of Bradenton, Florida is just over two-and-a-half hours away from Daytona International Speedway, and he will have a large contingent of friends, family, and local supporters at the race.
- Quoting McFarland: What are your thoughts on making your Truck Series debut at Daytona?
“I’m fired up to be racing for Niece Motorsports alongside Ricky (Stenhouse), Travis (Pastrana), and Andrés (Pérez de Lara). I feel really blessed to be on a team with them. This will be my first truck race, which is very exciting, and I want to make everyone proud. I’m hoping to go out there and use the things Greg Biffle taught me to stay on the track, keep my truck in one piece, and learn as much as I can. I’ve got a lot to learn, and I’m working my way towards running in the Daytona 500 one day, so this is the next step in that career path.”
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2016. The team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra, and was founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a full-service race vehicle build shop as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.
Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).
About Black Rifle Coffee Company: Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) is a Veteran-founded coffee company serving premium coffee to people who love America. Founded in 2014 by Green Beret Evan Hafer, Black Rifle develops their explosive roast profiles with the same mission focus they learned while serving in the military. BRCC is committed to supporting Veterans, active-duty military, first responders and the American way of life. To learn more about BRCC, visit www.blackriflecoffee.com
