NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. has hailed Cleetus McFarland as a great guy and stated he's in the sport for the right reasons after his O'Reilly Series outing at Nashville on Saturday.
It was Cleetus' second appearance in the O'Reilly Series after that eventful debut at Rockingham Speedway in April, and things were not much calmer this time around.
Still, despite his 35th-place finish, it was another day of huge learning for the YouTube sensation, which he will no doubt look to carry into this weekend at Michigan, where he is driving the No. 4 for Niece Motorsports in the Truck Series.
Post-race, there was even a nice moment where Earnhardt Jr. went up to Cleetus' car and leaned into his window to offer him some words of wisdom...or at least that's what it looked like from the outside.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. hails 'great guy' Cleetus McFarland
“I asked him if he's getting dizzy from spinning around in circles,” Earnhardt Jr. joked when speaking about the interaction in a press conference at the track.
“No, he's such a great dude, and I'll be honest, I feel like I've gotten to talk to him when the cameras are off, and he is such a great guy, and he truly just wants to come in here, and he doesn’t want to be the story for the wrong reasons. He wants to come in, run his race, learn, [and] get out of here without ruffling any feathers.
“He knows he's got a long way to go before he can really find the speed to perform and I think his opportunities in ARCA are incredible opportunities for him to continue to improve as a driver.
“He's a way better race car driver tonight than he was at Rockingham, and he'll keep on getting better. So he's fun to have around because, like I say, I've seen him and listened to him and watched him speak when the cameras aren't on, and he's in it for the right reasons.
“He just wants to come in and be embraced and have a good time and enjoy himself, and so I appreciate that about him.”
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