Cleetus McFarland is the stage name of Lawrence Garrett Mitchell, born April 5, 1995, an American YouTuber with over 4 million subscribers who creates automotive content and competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series as a racing driver.
Who Is Cleetus McFarland?
Lawrence Garrett Mitchell started his YouTube channel on January 28, 2009, around the same time he became the social media manager for car media company 1320Video. What began as a side project while managing social media for an automotive company became one of the most successful car channels on YouTube.
In 2015, he adopted the moniker “Cleetus McFarland” after a character he created that went viral at the Rocky Mountain Drag Week with Tom Bailey. The character’s slow-talking, America-loving persona struck a chord with viewers. What started as a joke became his full-time identity. Today, Mitchell is rarely called by his real name outside close friends and family.
His content mixes drag racing, car builds, burnout competitions, and motorsport adventures. The formula works. As of May 2025, he has over 4 million subscribers and continues to grow his presence across multiple platforms.
The Freedom Factory: A Racer’s Paradise
The world-famous Freedom Factory, located in Bradenton, Florida, is owned by well-known YouTuber and car enthusiast Cleetus McFarland, constructed in the early 1970s as Desoto Speedway. Mitchell purchased the abandoned property in January 2020 for $500,000 at auction.
The 3/8 mile asphalt oval, with 12-degree banking through the turns, quickly became known as the fastest 3/8 mile speedway in the south. After decades of hosting NASCAR and circle track legends, the facility closed and sat abandoned for years.
Abandoned for several years, and with Mother Nature beginning to take her toll on the facility, Cleetus McFarland decided he would purchase the property and take on the monumental task of bringing back to life the once thriving race track. The restoration turned the 65-acre property into the epicenter of his brand.
The Freedom Factory hosts signature events throughout the year. These include the Freedom 500, LeMullet’s endurance race, and Cleetus and Cars gatherings. The Cleetus McFarland Driving Experience offers fans the chance to race around the ⅜ asphalt oval with 12-degree banking in custom Crown Vics fitted with roll cages, race seats, RaceQuip safety equipment, and fresh Nitto tires.
Leroy: The Legendary Corvette Build
Mitchell would then go on to create a bodyless Chevrolet Corvette C5 with an exo-cage named “Leroy”. Leroy The Savage was originally purchased in March of 2017 for $5,500 and sporting 32,000 miles, named for the original person the car was built for, Leroy Coker, as noted on the sill plate.
The transformation started slowly. Within three months of purchase, Leroy would get a GM LSA supercharger, along with some upgraded cylinder heads and a ‘bald-eagle’ camshaft from Texas Speed and Performance for its first upgrades, along with an exoskeleton roll cage for safety.
The upgrades never stopped. The supercharger and stock engine would be ditched for a TSP 427 cubic inch engine, based on a re-sleeved GM aluminum block, and filled with TSP’s forged rotating parts. Each modification pushed the car deeper into record territory.
The car was stripped to its bare bones in the spring of 2022, and converted to a new rear subframe and aftermarket 4-link rear suspension, allowing the transmission and clutch to move from the rear of the car to the front, and the car went on a serious diet.
By 2023, Leroy made history. Just two days after the conclusion of FL2K, Cleetus attended a private track rental at Bradenton Motorsports Park, producing a 6.92 at 203.86 mph, becoming the world’s first stick shift Corvette in the 6-second zone, later backing it up with a 6.95 at 204.94 mph pass.
The latest evolution was focused on creating a new custom fiberglass body for Leroy, similar to a funny car, to better comply with drag racing rules, increase aerodynamics, and silence naysayers. On its very first full quarter-mile pass with the fiberglass body, Leroy the Savage achieved an astonishing 7.07 seconds at 204 mph, nearly a two-tenth of a second improvement and around 10 mph gain over its former best.
Mullet: The El Camino Beast
After finding career success as a YouTube content creator and racing enthusiast, he built a purpose-built race car from a Chevrolet El Camino known as “Mullet”. This 1986 El Camino became one of his most successful builds.
The twin-turbocharged Texas Speed Dart block 427 made 1329.69 horsepower on only 19 pounds of boost. The attention to detail throughout the build made Mullet both street-friendly and competition-ready.
The El Camino’s biggest triumph came at the World Cup Finals. On November 6, 2022, Mitchell & his crew won 1st place after eliminating Carlos Olivo in the McLeod Racing Warriors VS Tres Cuarto category of the 26th Annual Haltech World Cup Finals Import & Domestic Drag Races, his Chevrolet El Camino (Mullet) managed an elapsed time of 6.474 seconds at a top speed of 222.95 mph on the final round of the elimination race.
At FL2K22 last weekend at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway, Mitchell opened his weekend with a 6.939 at 210.77 mph, and followed it up with a 6.827 at 213.33, and a 6.667 at 212.59, with Mullet eventually going 6.543 at a booming 221.38 mph to win a pair of classes.
After blowing the original engine, Mitchell upgraded to something bigger. Mullet sports a 9.3-liter SMX big-block V8 engine with twin turbochargers pushing total power output to 5,000 HP. The massive power output makes Mullet one of the most extreme street-legal drag cars in existence.
Professional Racing Career
On April 6, 2022, it was announced on The Checkered Flag that Mitchell would make his debut in the Stadium Super Trucks at Long Beach, California, racing the No. 1776 truck as Cleetus McFarland. His first race nearly ended in victory.
In the weekend’s second of two races, he was leading on the final lap, poised to take the victory until the last jump, when he spun out after his truck hit the ground, leaving Robby Gordon to claim the win. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Mitchell showed he could compete at a professional level.
In 2025, he competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 30 Ford for Rette Jones Racing. He races under his legal name, Garrett Mitchell, in these professional events.
His ARCA debut faced challenges. Mitchell finished the Daytona season opener in 30th place after getting caught in a multi-car crash. But he bounced back. He claimed his first top-ten finish at Talladega Superspeedway, proving his skills translate from drag strips to oval tracks.
The 30-year-old began his content creation journey in 2009 and has been uploading content to YouTube since then, previously working as a social media manager for an automotive brand before resigning to pursue a full-time career in content creation.
Recent Achievements and Records
Cleetus McFarland surprised the motorsport fans with his latest achievement during the Haltech World Cup Finals, driving the Camaro on street-legal rubbers and achieving a top speed of 261.88 mph. This broke his own previous record on radial tires.
That speed of 261 MPH breaks the previous speed record on radial tires, also owned by Cleetus, doing it on street-legal rubber. The achievement showcases the extreme performance Mitchell extracts from his builds.
Cleetus McFarland has brought back one of his most iconic builds, the “Rat Rod” Toyota Supra, now featuring a 1,500-horsepower setup and a sequential gearbox designed to handle the massive output. At the heart of the build is the Supra’s legendary 2JZ-GTE engine, bored and stroked from its original 3.0-liter displacement to 3.4 liters, with a massive single turbocharger delivering the boost needed to reach more than 1,500 horsepower.
Building a Business Empire
Mitchell’s success extends beyond racing. Cleetus built his fortune through YouTube ad revenue, merchandise sales, sponsorships, and events at his Freedom Factory racetrack in Florida. Multiple revenue streams turned his passion into a business.
According to estimates from Celebrity Net Worth, Cleetus McFarland’s net worth is approximately $10 million. His YouTube channel has over 4.46 million subscribers and 1.9 billion views, generating between $91,000 and $1.5 million annually, with Cleetus owning 20% of Motion Raceworks.
His merchandise line features apparel inspired by American themes and car culture. The Freedom Factory hosts paid events year-round. Sponsorships from automotive companies provide additional income. Together, these ventures create a self-sustaining business model that funds even bigger projects.
The Cleetus McFarland Brand
Cleetus is all about ‘MERICA. He loves his ‘AMERICAN-made Chevrolets, high-class double wides, race cars, and fishing. This persona resonates with millions of fans who share his passion for American muscle cars and motorsports.
His catchphrases “hell yeah, brother” and “freakin’ awesome” became part of car culture vocabulary. The mullet hairstyle he sports became iconic. Every element of his brand feels authentic because it comes from genuine enthusiasm.
With 921K Followers on Instagram, Cleetus McFarland showcases freedom-inspired apparel on the internet. His social media presence keeps fans engaged between video uploads and racing events.
Challenges and Controversies
Not everything ran smoothly. In November 2020, a radiator hose explosion at a Cleetus and Cars burnout event left driver Parker Whitlock with third-degree burns. The incident raised safety questions. Mitchell implemented stricter safety requirements after the accident, including mandatory fire suits for all participants.
The Freedom Factory is located just off Highway 64, with land immediately to the west being discussed for re-zoning in Manatee County for housing developments with more than 4,500 homes. Mitchell argues that while he’s in favor of sound control to some degree, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to keep events quiet enough to prevent complaints. The threat of noise complaints from future residents could impact the facility’s operations.
Community Impact
Mitchell and Alvarez argue that dozens of sold-out events are hosted at the tracks annually, which is an enormous draw for the local economy. The Freedom Factory brings thousands of visitors to Bradenton, Florida, supporting hotels, restaurants, and local businesses.
Beyond economic impact, Mitchell created a space where car enthusiasts gather. Families attend events together. Young racers find inspiration. The community he built extends far beyond YouTube views and race times.
What’s Next for Cleetus McFarland?
Mitchell continues expanding in multiple directions. His ARCA racing schedule may increase in 2026. Rumors suggest connections to new motorsports organizations, though specifics remain unconfirmed.
Car builds never stop. Each vehicle in his fleet receives constant upgrades. New projects appear regularly on his channel. The Rat Rod Supra’s return signals more iconic builds getting refreshed.
The Freedom Factory calendar stays packed with events. New driving experiences and race formats keep fans returning. Each season brings bigger competitions and larger crowds.
His influence on automotive culture keeps growing. Young content creators cite him as inspiration. Professional racing teams recognize his marketing value. Traditional motorsports increasingly embrace the crossover between digital content and track performance.
FAQs
What is Cleetus McFarland’s real name?
Lawrence Garrett Mitchell, born April 5, 1995, is known professionally as Cleetus McFarland.
How many YouTube subscribers does Cleetus McFarland have?
As of May 2025, he has over 4 million subscribers.
What is the Freedom Factory?
The world-famous Freedom Factory, located in Bradenton, Florida, is owned by Cleetus McFarland, a 3/8 mile asphalt oval with 12-degree banking originally constructed in the early 1970s as Desoto Speedway.
What is Cleetus McFarland’s fastest car?
Mullet, his Chevrolet El Camino, holds his fastest quarter-mile time at 6.474 seconds at 222.95 mph.
Does Cleetus McFarland race professionally?
In 2025, he competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 30 Ford for Rette Jones Racing.
What is Cleetus McFarland’s net worth?
Cleetus McFarland has a net worth of $10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Lawrence Garrett Mitchell transformed a YouTube hobby into a motorsports empire. From buying a wrecked Corvette for $5,500 to setting world records, from working social media for another company to owning a racetrack, his journey proves that passion and persistence pay off. Whether you know him as Cleetus or Garrett, his impact on automotive culture continues to accelerate with no signs of slowing down.
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