If the name Cleetus McFarland doesn’t ring a bell, you may have been living under a rock while the YouTuber has continued to soar as one of the most watched and followed channels on the planet. Starting as a young social media manager at 1320Video with a passion for racing, Cleetus quickly rose to the top with constant automotive content, whether building high-speed drag cars with his team or just participating in his usual antics at the shop. Cleetus’ shift from an avid content creator to a YouTube sensation continued with his purchase of the Freedom Factory, an old, worn-out oval track in Bradenton, Florida, that was left for dead. Cleetus McFarland scooped it up and has since turned it into a full-blown playground for burnout contests, races, and all kinds of wild mayhem.
This past weekend, Cleetus and his team hosted the fifth annual Freedom 500 race as part of his 30th birthday weekend, welcoming other YouTube stars, professional athletes, and NASCAR greats to participate in a 100-lap race around the oval track. Making it an even level playing field for all competitors, the race features identical Ford Crown Victorias equipped with nitrous for an extra bump of power when needed. As if things couldn’t be more entertaining for fans to watch both in person and online, the winner of this year’s Freedom 500 had the option of choosing between a fully loaded executive Sprinter or C8 Corvette Z06 as the first-place prize.
Having been there in person to catch all the action, I watched what seemed to be the most competitive race at the Freedom Factory to date. It was a serious battle for the top spot between huge industry names like Travis Pastrana, Kevin Smith Racing, WhistlinDiesel, Brian Deegan, Hailie Deegan, Greg Biffle, and so many others. At the end of the race, Travis Pastrana came out on top as he crossed the finish line in style after an intense restart with only five laps to go. He chose the C8 Z06 as his prize before letting everyone spray-paint an American flag and other graphics on the car. Some inaugural burnouts also occurred on the burnout pad after witnessing one of the largest fireworks shows I have ever seen. Check out the video below for a full recap and a look at what the Freedom Factory team got Cleetus for his birthday.
