Kenny Wallace on grassroots racing future is at the center of debate as Cleetus McFarland’s distinct entertainment approach draws outsized crowds, leaving traditional short track events struggling. Wallace and Ryan Preece, both with deep NASCAR ties, are among those questioning if this new model can save a sport battling for relevance across the United States.
Content Creators Disrupt Racing Traditions
The decline of dirt and short track racing has coincided with a surge in online personalities, like Cleetus McFarland, presenting motorsports as accessible and unrestrained fun. Recently, NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece made headlines by winning the Cleetus McFarland–hosted New England 900 at Stafford Speedway. Behind the wheel of a nitrous-boosted Crown Victoria, Preece topped Greg Biffle in a contest that emphasized spectacle rather than purse money or technical edge.
Preece, now the No. 60 Ford driver for RFK Racing, regularly competes in both top-level and local events, bridging the sport’s old guard with its new faces. When he spoke with Kenny Wallace on the show Kenny Conversation, Preece explained that Cleetus McFarland’s races strip away much of the financial burden and pressure that often defines grassroots competitions, allowing racing to feel fresh again.
“The New England 900, that was a race that Cleetus McFarland/Garrett Mitchell put on at Stafford Speedway with Crown Vicks. I was lucky enough to be invited to race with those guys and (Greg) Biffle and, a bunch of the people that are influencers on YouTube. I just had an absolute blast because it was a stock Crown Vic that just happened to have nitrous and some train horns in it. And it was probably some of the most fun that I’ve ever had racing,” said Preece on Wallace’s YouTube channel (0:56 onwards).
For many drivers like Preece, traditional short track nights involve major investments—cars, repairs, and logistics—all for a payout unlikely to match the effort. In contrast, McFarland’s events focus on simple, shared experiences instead of financial gain or technical rivalry; the atmosphere is relaxed, and enjoyment is the main objective.
Kenny Wallace highlighted the magnetic personality driving these events:
“What’s great about Cleetus is that he’s the real deal. I mean, a man can fly a helicopter. He can build things. So, I mean this in a fun, loving way. The joke is on us because he’s got it figured out.” (7:54 onwards)
This formula captures the imagination of the current generation. Events like Cleetus McFarland‘s Summit Freedom 500—now a fixture at Florida’s Freedom Factory—regularly attract stars such as Travis Pastrana, Corey LaJoie, Michael Waltrip, Hailie Deegan, Brian Deegan, and Greg Biffle, alongside digital creators and action sports figures. The 2025 running brought together big names and enthusiastic fans in an unfiltered show.
The Erosion of Local Racing’s “Show” Factor
Ryan Preece’s own trajectory traces the struggle of traditional grassroots scenes. Having won prestigious titles, including the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and accomplishments at Thompson Speedway and New Smyrna’s Speedweeks, his path was shaped by local excitement and rivalries that once made weekly racing a spectacle.
Yet, Preece laments the diminishing focus on entertainment at short tracks, where younger racers may not grasp their role in captivating the audience. He argues that the “show” element—once cultivated by stars like Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace—has faded.
“Understanding the show, you know what I mean? That is a lost piece. I feel like short track racing, it’s been forgotten in some regard… Probably a lot of younger racers, they don’t understand it just like I didn’t, when I was younger. But as you get older and you’re a part of the show, you need to understand what your role is,” Preece added on Wallace’s channel. (3:30 onwards)
Preece mentioned that local venues, which once thrived on gripping rivalries and strong personalities, are now plagued by a lack of spectacle. Drivers focus on car setup and often leave the track quickly, missing the community engagement that once kept fan bases loyal. Denny Hamlin may play the antagonist role at the Cup Series level, but on the local side, the energy often lacks.
“I remember what’s lost around St. Louis area is our great rivalries. You.. had two or three guys that you came to watch. Now it seems like at a local level it’s gone. Everybody is so serious about their chassis that they want to load up and leave the racetrack right away. That’s why I pressed you about that because Cleetus’s race, me and you, we want to go, haha. But buddy, the crowds he gets we gotta pay attention to that,” said Wallace while echoing the concern (5:23 onwards).
With legacy tracks shuttering and attendance slipping, Cleetus McFarland fills a void, relying on low-cost, entertainment-driven formats to draw in crowds and maintain relevance on social media. YouTube viewership and on-site audiences are on the rise at his venues, such as the Freedom Factory in Florida, as the grassroots scene readjusts to a changing landscape.
Revitalizing Roots Through Star Power and Nostalgia
Efforts to counter this trend are underway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick have backed the CARS Tour, which aims to revive historic tracks and feature competitive Late Model Stock Car racing. Earnhardt Jr. has actively competed three times in the ongoing season, boosting the series’ profile and showing the enduring draw of star participation. As the CARS Tour approaches its closing races of 2025, grassroots advocates consider it a vital experiment in sustaining tradition while embracing modern appeal.
Yet, as Preece and Wallace discuss, the survival of American grassroots racing depends on restoring what once made it special: spirited rivalries, accessible fun, and an atmosphere where fans and drivers alike feel like part of a bigger show. The way forward—whether through social-media savvy influencers like Cleetus McFarland, established veterans such as Michael Waltrip and Greg Biffle, or new hybrid models—remains deeply contested.
The continued existence of grassroots racing seems tied to whether insiders, promoters, and drivers like Wallace and Preece can adapt—recapturing the attention and enthusiasm of fans before modern content creators become the only draw in town.
