Cleetus McFarland involved in ARCA championship affecting crash

Just as the ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway was halted midway due to rain, an incident involving Cleetus McFarland affected a peripheral championship contender.

On lap 49 of the 100‑lap event, second‑place point scorer Ryan Vargas attempted to pass YouTuber Garrett Mitchell, who is legally known as Garrett Mitchell. Vargas lost traction after the nose of his car slipped.

Both cars slid off the track and entered the path of Andy Jankowiak, the Talladega winner from April, who subsequently made contact with Jason Kitzmiller as well.

All three drivers were competing for ninth place.

During the incident, spotter Kevin Hamlin instructed Cleetus to keep his car closer beneath him, but later reported that no one gave each other any room.

Cleetus McFarland said, “I haven’t reviewed the footage yet, but surrendering position to let him pass would be unlikely. This is a race, and there’s a balance to consider, and I’m still learning.”

After the race, Vargas sought out Cleetus in the garage to discuss the incident and request a bit more space when a car is positioned underneath another.

Vargas noted, “I was being closely pursued by lapped cars, which made the racing frustrating. At one point we were running seventh or eighth, battling the Nitro Motorsports cars, demonstrating how much we’ve improved.”

Was there any thought of lifting off the throttle while attempting to overtake an inexperienced driver, the longtime O’Reilly Series veteran?

Vargas added, “In that corner I entered with him on my right rear side, so I expected him to give some room. Since Garrett is still learning, I’m not upset with him; he’s doing a phenomenal job. I feel gutted for my team and everyone involved, and we’ll regroup for the next opportunity.”

Consequently, Vargas expressed disappointment, stating that a 12th‑place finish essentially eliminates his championship aspirations while competing for underfunded Maples Motorsports against Nitro drivers Jake Bollman and Thomas Annunziata.

He entered the event 23 points behind the leader and now trails by 28 points.

Vargas said, “It’s heartbreaking. While we may still be in the hunt, this setback feels like we’re effectively out of contention. Nevertheless, we’ve performed admirably this year with limited resources, proving our team’s capabilities.”

He added, “Our shop consists of only five or six people, not all of whom are crew members. Their belief in me means a great deal, and nights like this are especially tough.”

Jankowiak’s own championship hopes were also impacted, as he entered the race in fourth place and 40 points behind the leader.

Jankowiak explained, “I couldn’t see exactly what was happening under my car. I attempted to give him enough room, staying outside three‑wide, when a fender brushed my door. I moved up, but there’s a tricky spot off Turn 2 where the track flattens; I saved it the first time but couldn’t on the second.”

Additionally, Bollman extended his championship lead over teammate Annunziata with a second‑place finish.

Bollman replied, “I’m not focusing on the standings; I’m concentrating on my finishes. Whether competitors close in or I pull away, my priority is maintaining solid results to chase the win, and this weekend felt like it could have been our day until the final restart.”

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