Cleetus McFarland’s highly anticipated NASCAR debut at Daytona didn’t go as planned, but instead of dwelling on the crash, he’s speaking out in defense of fellow driver Amber Balcaen, who caused the crash and took him out of contention. After being caught in a multi-car wreck, McFarland is urging fans to stop directing unnecessary hate toward Balcaen, reminding everyone that crashes are just a part of stock car racing.
A Tough Break at Daytona for Cleetus McFarland
McFarland, known for his popular YouTube channel, took to the track in the ARCA Menards Series race “Ride the Dente 200” at the Daytona International Speedway. However, his first official NASCAR event ended in disappointment when a multi-car wreck sidelined him early.
More trouble at @DAYTONA!@amberbalcaen10 gets loose and collects Cleetus McFarland and @KyleSteckly.
📺 #RideTheDente200 on FOX pic.twitter.com/xIsV6q81eT
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) February 15, 2025
The incident occurred when Balcaen appeared to lose control, setting off a chain reaction that took out multiple drivers, including McFarland and Kyle Steckly. Soon after the crash, many NASCAR fans took to social media, aggressively hating on Balcaen for the wreck. Some even went as far as saying she shouldn’t be allowed to compete in stock car racing again.
McFarland Stands Up Against the Hate
Despite being directly affected by the crash, McFarland made it clear that he doesn’t blame Balcaen for what happened. Instead, he’s calling for fans to back off and stop attacking her online.
“Some people really cross the line in sending hate towards this other driver,” McFarland said in response to the backlash. “It’s totally unnecessary okay. Her and I talked, it is what it is. We crashed and now we gotta just move on.”
McFarland understands the risks involved in high-speed stock car racing. He acknowledged that crashes happen and would need to get used to it, but he firmly believes that no driver deserves to be harassed because of one incident. “It does happen all the time in the sport. So we got to get used to that a little bit, and we can’t just be going crazy on other drivers if they cause an accident for me,” he mentioned.
Regardless of all the reactions online, McFarland remains firm on his stance that racing should be about respect and learning, rather than placing blame. His response to the situation has earned him even more respect from fans.
