Richard Childress knows he won’t win, but he’s okay with it anyway. Unless and until RCR finds a magic spell, it is just hard to see them collect multiple wins or compete for championships. But what if there was a way for RCR to stay relevant and in the headlines without the performance on the racetrack?
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Cleetus McFarland has emerged as the new hero for Richard Childress Racing. Yes, he’s not a proven race car driver, but rather a rookie driver who has a ton of following on social media. His sudden addition to the RCR roster and opportunities to race have become a talking point, including from his own driver, Kyle Busch, but the outside noise doesn’t seem to bother Richard Childress.
“He loves the sport. He’s a car guy, and the fans follow him for that. 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 first started. 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,” Childress said. And this praise by RC is just scratching the surface.
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Childress mentioned how McFarland has close to five million followers, and getting even 10% of those to NASCAR would be a big win for the sport. 4.6 million followers on YouTube alone, he certainly brings the eyeballs to the sport and the team. But not everyone’s happy about Cleetus’s addition to the team.
Kyle Busch openly criticized McFarland getting a ride at RCR. “I don’t know if Cleetus has run 10 or not, but there’s definitely a need to having ample experience. My son has probably run more races than he has, and he’s 10 years old. You know what I mean? So, I don’t think that sits well with many of us,” Busch stated. Yet the leadership at RCR has a different view on it, and we’re not talking about Richard Childress.
Via @chris8video, Richard Childress talks about Cleetus at Rockingham and gives a comment on RCR’s rough start in Cup. https://t.co/8LGWRJXwFM
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 9, 2026
RCR vice president Danny Lawrence says they hired Cleetus because he can make them a better organization. Ty Dillon led the charge of getting him onboard, and Austin Dillon oversaw the entire process. This isn’t the usual team and driver arrangement, and it seems to be working out.
Who in their right mind would turn down the offer from a team like RCR? And even if McFarland’s addition is ruffling a few feathers, he’s fine with it. “I’m willing to embarrass myself time and time again. I don’t, I just do not care. I’m willing to learn, and I’m willing to put in the effort to make myself a reasonable competitor.” And even NASCAR is on board with Cleetus’ idea.
“We’d like to see more out of Cleetus in the short tracks. So we’re not saying no, but there is more that we would like to see out of Cleetus before we would approve him for Talladega,” NASCAR EVP and Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst said on the Hauler Talk. This sudden shift of priorities somewhat leaves Kyle Busch stranded. He’s recently crossed 100 races going without a race win, and it looks like he’s no longer the most preferred personality within the RCR camp.
What’s next for Kyle Busch?
If you are not in the loop, Rowdy is in his contract year with RCR. So there’s a possibility that either he will extend or look for a new home. Going by the recent results, the latter seems like a better option for the 2-time champion. But nothing is guaranteed in a competitive market.
Spire Motorsports is a good option, plus Jeff Dickerson is a good friend of Busch. In case RCR isn’t able to convince him about their future plans, a switch to a Chevy team makes sense. However, with three drivers already signed on the Spire roster, it will be interesting to see how they would manage if the situation arises.
Another option is 23XI Racing or Legacy Motor Club. A return to Toyota could reignite the flame Rowdy has lost, but again, the free agency season will decide if Busch has a shot of entering the Toyota garage once again. Now, there’s a possibility that no team would want to bet on Kyle Busch, and that could force him into early retirement or a demotion to either Trucks or O’Reilly Series.
This is basically the make-or-break season for Kyle Busch, and so far, everything has been going wrong for him. Now it remains to be seen how Rowdy can salvage the rest of the 2026 season and, more importantly, his plans for the year.
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Suyashdeep Sason