Debate around NASCAR’s approval system has picked up pace, with more voices weighing in on how drivers earn a spot on the grid in the sport’s lower divisions, especially after Cleetus McFarland signed a two-year deal with RCR to compete in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series. After comments from Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Petty, Brad Keselowski has now joined the discussion, raising questions about how the sanctioning body issues green lights to drivers outside the NASCAR Cup Series.
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Busch took a swing at the situation by pointing to the path drivers once traveled before reaching the Cup level. He noted that Hamlin probably logged thousands of races before landing a ride in NASCAR’s top tier, while McFarland’s record on track remains thin. Busch even joked that his son, Brexton Busch, might have run more races.
Hamlin later addressed the subject on his podcast, arguing that attention should fall on the system that clears drivers to compete. In his view, the approval process should draw a harder line before handing out permission slips. Keselowski echoed that line of thinking, though he framed the issue around the structure of NASCAR’s ladder. “I just think it has to connect to the strategy of what they want the series to be.”
“Obviously NASCAR has four tiers. The Arca series is the bottom, the truck series, the Xfinity series. And I think if you zoom out and look at the picture and say where we want those series to be, then the approval process should connect to that accordingly.”
“I don’t know if that’s necessarily the case right now. Because I think a lot of the focus probably gets put on the Cup Series, rightfully so. I think the Cup Series approval process is actually quite good. But the other series, there’s questions that are probably fair to ask,” he continued.
“I think the Cup Series approval process is actually quite good, but the other series, there’s questions that are probably fair to ask.”@keselowski also weighs in on tire and hp changes and a throwback tribute to Greg Biffle. #NASCAR
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The conversation first gathered steam earlier this season when Natalie Decker secured a spot in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Her race ended in a wreck after contact with Sam Mayer, which led some within the garage to question the approval process.
The debate gained more fuel after Cleetus McFarland entered the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and later signed a deal with Richard Childress Racing to run three races per season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for two years.
McFarland, who is a YouTuber-turned NASCAR driver with a 4.66 million online following, has made five starts in the ARCA Menards Series, along with one appearance in the Truck Series. Despite that short experience behind the wheel, he secured a deal to run three O’Reilly Series races each season for two years.
Earlier in his path toward NASCAR competition, the 30-year-old received guidance from Greg Biffle while preparing for time behind the wheel. Now he continues the climb on his own, with fans often showing up in large numbers when he takes to the track, a trend that has also helped draw viewers.
That surge in attention has become part of the debate. Critics and fans argue that if NASCAR waves a driver through the gate with a short record on track, the same door should open for others with a similar logbook. Otherwise, the system risks prioritizing fan reach over laps turned, which could shift the balance within the sport’s ladder.
