The legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress has recently come out in strong support of popular YouTuber-turned-driver Cleetus McFarland amid ongoing debate over his NASCAR opportunity. As critics argue he lacks the traditional seat time required for racing, Childress made it clear that he sees long-term value in McFarland’s presence.

McFarland, who has over 4.6 million subscribers, made his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Rockingham Speedway last weekend, finishing 32nd with six laps down behind the wheel of the #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

His quick transition into NASCAR competition has sparked mixed reactions from fans and drivers, with some believing the opportunity was based on his massive social media following rather than traditional, grassroots racing accomplishments.

Addressing the criticism around McFarland, the former driver and RCR owner Richard Childress said (via Chris Weaver’s YouTube channel):

“Cleetus [McFarland] did a great job, and he loves the sport. He’s a car guy, and the fans follow him for that, and he’ll bring us a lot of new fans, and sure, he’s going to make a mistake or two. I can’t tell you how many mistakes previous drivers that I’ve had made when they very first started, you know. So, it’s racing. I’ve seen them all come and go. So, it’s been interesting to watch Cleetus, and seeing what he can do for NASCAR really is what pumps me up.” [1:04]

“What a great idea, not just for RCR but for our sport”: Richard Childress backs the signing of Cleetus McFarland

Richard Childress defends Cleetus McFarland’s signing, calling his move a great idea for the sport. NASCAR Hall of Famer believes if his participation can convert 10 percent of his fans into NASCAR fans, it’s a win for the sport.

In the aforementioned interview, speaking about the decision to add him to the RCR lineup, Childress said:

“What a great idea, not just for RCR but for our sport. Here, Cleetus, which is Garrett (Mitchell), has close to five million followers. And if we can get 10% of those new fans coming to races and looking at the racetrack because of Cleetus… and I know he brought people to Rockingham, brought people watching the race.”

Meanwhile, NASCAR has not yet approved McFarland to run at Talladega Superspeedway in a few weeks following the Rockingham O’Reilly Series race.