Cleetus McFarland is a name many automotive fans know from YouTube. His career has grown well beyond making car videos. His real name is Garrett Mitchell. He has built a large online following around drag racing car builds, burnout competitions and motorsports events. His YouTube channel has grown to more than 4.8 million subscribers and over 2.2 billion views according to current third‑party channel tracking data.

What makes his story different is that YouTube became the starting point for a bigger business. McFarland owns the Freedom Factory race track in Bradenton, Florida, runs a merchandise operation and has expanded into stock‑car racing. He has also attracted partnerships, including a multi‑year deal, with Polaris announced in 2026.

His exact wealth isn’t publicly confirmed. Online net worth figures should be treated carefully. This article looks at the estimates of his YouTube earnings, racing career, businesses, assets and the different ways his automotive brand makes money.

Overview Table

Category	Details
Full Name	Garrett Mitchell
Known As	Cleetus McFarland
Profession	YouTuber, racing driver, entrepreneur
Date of Birth	April 5, 1995
Hometown	Bradenton, Florida
YouTube Channel	Cleetus McFarland
YouTube Subscribers	About 4.8 million
Main Income Sources	YouTube, merchandise, events, sponsorships and motorsports
Estimated Net Worth	Public estimates vary; roughly $5 million–$10 million

 

Net Worth

There is no official or confirmed number for Cleetus McFarland’s worth. Different websites have come up with their estimates, which is common when dealing with people who run private companies and own personal assets.

One estimate from 2026 suggests his wealth is around $10 million. Another source gave a range of $5 million to $8 million based on data through 2024. These numbers are not verified statements. They shouldn’t be seen as measures of how much money he actually has.

The main reason it’s hard to pin down his worth is that he owns many different businesses and properties tied to his career. His income doesn’t just come from YouTube ads. He also makes money from selling merchandise, hosting events, getting sponsorships and owning the Freedom Factory.

That means simply looking at salary or ad revenue won’t give you the picture. The value of his companies, race cars, real estate and other investments isn’t fully made public.

How Cleetus McFarland Started His Career

Garrett Mitchell’s journey with cars started long before he became known as Cleetus McFarland. He worked with 1320Video, a company focused on media. There he gained hands-on experience in media, photography and video production. That time helped him learn how online car content could grow a following.

The name “Cleetus McFarland” first appeared in 2015 during Rocky Mountain Race Week. Garrett Mitchell and Kyle Loftis from 1320Video created a character for a video. The clip went viral quickly. The character stuck with Mitchell. Eventually became the brand for his own YouTube channel.

Later he began focusing on his own channel. His videos often included racing, car mods, crashes, burnouts and wild vehicle builds. One car stood out. The C5 Corvette is called “Leroy.” It became one of the recognizable symbols of his channel.

He didn’t keep this as a side hobby. Instead he turned it into a full-time job. What followed was a business built on videos and real-life motorsports.

Cleetus McFarland’s YouTube Earnings

YouTube is still a part of McFarland’s business.. His actual earnings from the platform aren’t publicly released.

Current third-party data shows his channel has about 4.8 million subscribers, over 2.2 billion views and more than 1,800 uploaded videos.

Some sites try to estimate his ad revenue.. Those numbers vary a lot depending on assumptions like ad rates, viewer locations, video length and how many videos were monetized. One analysis put his lifetime ad income between $1.6 million and $4.6 million. Other services gave numbers.

Another site estimated his YouTube earnings in 2026 at roughly $13,000 to $18,000 for several months. These are guesses not facts from McFarland or YouTube.

There’s a detail here: YouTube videos can bring in more than just ad money. A popular video might lead to merchandise sales, event tickets, sponsor deals or even funding for racing projects. For McFarland the YouTube channel works as a piece of an automotive business.

Racing Career and Earnings

Racing used to be something McFarland showed in his videos. Now it’s become a career path.

He made his first ARCA Menards Series start in 2025 with Rette Jones Racing. ARCA listed him for a schedule in 2026.

In 2026 he also stepped into NASCAR competition. NASCAR said he raced in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Rockingham Speedway in April. He drove the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. He finished after a busy race. He also came in fourth in the ARCA East race at Rockingham that weekend.

Earlier in 2026 he competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona. The Associated Press reported he ran four ARCA races in 2025, including top-10 finishes at Talladega and Charlotte.

His exact pay, prize money or contract details haven’t been made public. So it would be wrong to say he earns an amount each year from racing.

Freedom Factory Business

One of the important moves in McFarland’s life came in 2020. He bought the DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton, Florida. He paid about $2.2 million for the land. Renamed it the Freedom Factory.

The track had been and needed serious work. McFarland and his team renovated the place. They reopened it in February 2021.

Today the Freedom Factory hosts lots of motorsport events. These include burnout competitions, drift shows and circle-track racing.

It also holds events like the Freedom 500 and LeMullets. These combine live racing with the fan base McFarland has built online.

So the Freedom Factory is more than a piece of property. It’s a filming spot, an event center and a key part of the Cleetus McFarland brand.

Merchandise and Sponsorships

Merchandise is a visible part of the business. The official store of McFarland sells T-shirts, hats, stickers, sunglasses, blankets, accessories and Freedom Factory products. Prices in the store vary, with some items like stickers and accessories being low-cost while clothing and specialty items are priced higher.

The store also includes collections tied to people and characters from his automotive community. This helps the merchandise business have an identity than just selling things with his own name on them.

Sponsorships bring in another source of income. In April 2026 Polaris announced a -year partnership with McFarland. The deal covers motorsports content, experiences and events. Polaris described him as a motorsports content creator, entrepreneur and racer.

The financial details of that partnership were not made public.

Assets and Lifestyle

Some of McFarland’s recognized assets are directly linked to his automotive career. The well-known one is the Freedom Factory in Bradenton. This facility is a part of his brand and operations.

In 2024 McFarland also announced he had bought an airport in Myakka City, Florida. The property is 50 acres and is meant for aviation and storage uses. Local reports said he paid $2.2 million for the land.

His collection of race cars and modified vehicles is another part of his lifestyle. However the total value of these vehicles has not been officially released.

A lot of his lifestyle is also part of his content. Cars, racing, aircraft, track events and workshops appear regularly in his videos. Because these are also business activities it is not always easy to separate spending from assets used for his work.

Achievements

McFarland’s biggest achievement is the scale of the media business he has built from a small online audience.

His YouTube channel has grown to more than 4.8 million subscribers and has reached over 2.2 billion views according to current third-party tracking data.

He also turned an abandoned racetrack into a motorsports venue. He built recurring events around it. The Freedom Factory held its public event in February 2021 after major renovations.

On the racing side he has moved from automotive entertainment into ARCA and NASCAR competition. His 2026 NASCAR debut and continued ARCA schedule show another step in that career path.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Cleetus McFarland’s worth?

There isn’t a confirmed number for Cleetus McFarland’s net worth. Various online sources have estimated his wealth to be between $5 million and $10 million. These are estimates and not based on official financial records so the real number could be higher or lower.

2. What is Cleetus McFarland’s real name?

His real name is Garrett Mitchell. He goes by Cleetus McFarland professionally, a name that started as a character during an event in 2015.

3. How does Cleetus McFarland make money?

Cleetus McFarland earns money through YouTube videos selling merchandise participating in motorsports events and sponsorships. He also owns the Freedom Factory, a venue for racing and automotive events. The exact income from each of these areas is not shared publicly.

4. How much does Cleetus McFarland earn from YouTube?

The exact amount Cleetus McFarland earns from YouTube is not publicly known. Third-party tools give estimates based on views and ad rates. One estimate suggests his lifetime ad revenue could be between $1.6 million and $4.6 million. This is not an official number.

5. Does Cleetus McFarland own the Freedom Factory?

Yes. Official records show that Garrett Mitchell owns the Freedom Factory, a race track in Bradenton, Florida. He bought the DeSoto Speedway property in 2020 and later renovated it to host events.

6. How much did the Freedom Factory cost?

Available reports list the 2020 purchase price at around $2.2 million. That amount covers the property itself. Does not include the later spending on renovations and upgrades.

7. Is Cleetus McFarland a racing driver?

Yes. He has started competing in stock-car racing. He made his ARCA race in 2025 and has also raced in NASCARs O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. He continues to balance racing with his YouTube career.

8. Does Cleetus McFarland have sponsorships?

Yes. He works with brands related to his automotive and racing work. In April 2026 Polaris announced a -year partnership with Cleetus McFarland. The financial details of the deal were not made public.

9. Does Cleetus McFarland sell merchandise?

Yes. He runs an online store where customers can buy clothing, hats, stickers, accessories and products tied to the Freedom Factory. The store also carries items from members of his automotive community.

10. Where does Cleetus McFarland live?

He lives in Florida. It is closely tied to Bradenton, where the Freedom Factory is located. Some reports have linked him to an airport property in nearby Myakka City. Details about his home are not necessary to understand his career or financial success.

Conclusion

Cleetus McFarland’s financial journey shows how he built a business around an audience. YouTube helped grow his following. Then the Freedom Factory, merchandise racing events and sponsorships added more income streams. His move into ARCA and NASCAR has become another part of his career.

There is no number for his net worth and online estimates differ.. What is clearer is the structure behind his success: content creation, motorsports, events, real estate and a strong brand focused on cars all working together.