Known for his larger-than-life builds and social media presence, Cleetus McFarland is setting his sights on the upcoming U.S. Street Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park—but with one big caveat. While testing his 5,000-horsepower 1969 Camaro, known as the “Eagle,” McFarland emphasized that he’ll only race Pro 275 if the car can run the highly competitive 3.70s in the eighth-mile.
“We’re hoping to race in Pro 275 at the U.S. Street Nationals, which is a race right here at Bradenton Motorsports Park in a few weeks,” he says in a recent YouTube upload. “But we’re not even going to the race unless we can run 3.70s. If we can’t run a 3.79, I just don’t feel good about it.”
Throughout multiple test sessions, McFarland and his crew worked tirelessly on the Camaro’s chassis, suspension, and tune-up to dial the car in on smaller 275 radial tires—a departure from the larger 315s they’d previously run. Along the way, they recorded several stout passes, including a 3.94-second blast in the eighth-mile at 199 mph, but struggled with traction and fine-tuning issues.
“It’s frustrating—these small tires with this much horsepower. We have to be going 3.70s to be competitive,” McFarland says, noting that Pro 275 typically fields some of the fastest radial cars in the sport. “This caliber of car just requires a lot of figuring out.”
Despite the challenges, the testing sessions were not without highlights. McFarland managed to set a new personal best on the smaller tires, proving the “Eagle” has real potential. Still, he’s intent on making additional test hits before committing to the U.S. Street Nationals, which sees heavy-hitting radial racers and Pro Mod standouts converge on Bradenton for one of the biggest off-season showcases.
“The U.S. Street Nationals brings serious competition,” McFarland explains. “We’ve got a gap to close if we want to contend. But that’s why we test—and if we nail a 3.70-something soon, you’ll see us on the starting line in Bradenton.”
For fans of door-car racing—and anyone who follows McFarland’s high-octane antics—the story boils down to one question: Can the “Eagle” crack into the 3.70s in time for the U.S. Street Nationals? One thing’s certain: the clock is ticking, and McFarland’s team shows no signs of slowing down until they’ve given every ounce of effort to make it happen.
To purchase tickets to the U.S. Street Nationals presented by M&M Transmission, visit www.thewinterseries.com. To livestream the U.S. Street Nationals, check out https://flosports.link/4eXM9oa.
This story was originally published on January 13, 2025.
The post Cleetus McFarland Talks Plans to Race Pro 275 at U.S. Street Nationals in Bradenton first appeared on Drag Illustrated.