YouTuber and racer Cleetus McFarland recently lived out a dream experience by spending time with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Talladega Superspeedway. A huge fan of Earnhardt, McFarland even owns a truck styled with the iconic black #3 paint scheme. During their meet-up, Cleetus invited Jr. to take a spin in the twin-turbocharged truck. Jr.’s first attempt at a drag-style launch resulted in a burnout, but he nailed it on his second try. Their hangout quickly turned into an exciting collaboration that delighted racing fans.
But McFarland saw this new friendship as something deeper, something he made clear through a heartfelt surprise. After the Talladega event, Cleetus paid a visit to Dale Jr.’s home with an unusual gift — two white swans. Dale and his wife Amy were stunned but happy to welcome the new additions to their growing family of animals.
Amy Earnhardt later shared her thoughts on their Bless Your Hart podcast, saying, “The swans are doing great. They’re named George and Cleo, and they’ve cleaned up the pond, which used to be covered in green algae. It was a wonderful surprise, even though I usually don’t like surprises.”
The Earnhardts are well-known animal lovers. Beyond the swans, their farm includes a variety of creatures: buffalo, donkeys, a mule, dogs, fish, and even a butterfly kit that’s about to hatch into new additions. As Amy put it, “Two swans, four female buffalo, five donkeys, one mule, two dogs, lots of fish, and soon, butterflies.”
Meanwhile, Cleetus McFarland showed impressive grit on the track. After facing heartbreak earlier in the ARCA Series at Daytona, he redeemed himself at Talladega. Despite starting from 24th after forgetting his HANS device, he worked his way into the top 10 before an engine issue dropped him back to 20th. However, he fought back hard.
With the race ending in a wild one-lap shootout, McFarland, starting 14th, managed to avoid a major pile-up on the restart. As the caution flag waved, he found himself securing a top-10 finish.
Afterward, he joked, “They kept saying ‘keep your momentum’ on the radio, but I was wide open! It felt like riding a horse out there.” While there’s a chance he might return to the ARCA car at Talladega this fall, nothing has been confirmed yet.
YouTuber Cleetus McFarland Shocked Dale Earnhardt Jr. With an Outrageous Gift
