Cleetus McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, had a deep friendship and racing alliance with NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, bonding over their shared passions for automobiles, helicopters, and humanitarian work during Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
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However, Biffle, his wife, and two children died in a December 2025 plane crash while flying to visit McFarland. Their partnership took root in late 2024 when both deployed helicopters to deliver aid following Hurricane Helene, igniting a bond between the two men.
Biffle embraced a mentorship role, lending his expertise to McFarland’s ARCA endeavors and sharing his racing wisdom with the YouTuber’s massive audience. In order to give him back the same level of respect, McFarland now stands ready to honor Biffle’s memory.
As race cars descended upon Daytona International Speedway for the annual preseason ARCA Menards Series test, multiple drivers seized the moment to pay respects to the late Greg Biffle following his death. McFarland marked the occasion by executing a ceremonial burnout that resonated throughout the facility.
He rolled into Daytona sporting a distinctive decal on the No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford, with a paint scheme that served as a throwback to Dale Earnhardt’s campaigns in the Rolex 24. However, the rear quarter panel carried a message: “Be Like Biff,” seizing how Biffle conducted his life and extended aid to those facing hardship.
Next Friday, a tribute to Greg Biffle will happen in downtown Mooresville. Cleetus McFarland will perform a ceremonial burnout in downtown. pic.twitter.com/VIvCPyu2Uu
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) January 9, 2026
McFarland shared his enthusiasm for the test session but acknowledged that it doesn’t feel the same without Biffle. The prime ambition driving his racing career is competing in the Daytona 500 one day, which Biffle contested 15 times, with his final appearance coming in 2022. He views himself as carrying forward the mission he and Biffle started together, to reach the Daytona 500, as McFarland feels duty-bound to see it through to completion.
During practice, McFarland stressed that his objective in the test and practice is to avoid mishaps because winning matters. He plans to hit the track and make Biffle proud through his performance.
Prior to his Daytona tribute, McFarland had also posted a 41-minute video on his YouTube channel titled ‘The One and Only Greg Biffle,’ memorializing his friend and narrating how they spent every month of the past year side by side.
He disclosed that the accident occurred during an attempted return to the airport in Statesville, North Carolina, while their intended destination was Florida, where they planned to meet McFarland.
He numbered among the first to confirm the plane crash had claimed Greg and his family. Within the video, Mitchell pledged to conclude every future upload with this statement: “Thanks for watching. Do it for Dale, and be like Biff,” the identical message on his Daytona machine.
Bobby Dale Earnhardt, driving the No. 89 Chevy for Rise Racing, also paid his tribute to the veteran driver during the ARCA preseason test. Sharing an image of his car on X, which featured the No. 16 alongside the same message McFarland displayed, he wrote:
“A sneak peek with purpose The Biff is riding with us this weekend. Honoring Greg Biffle’s legacy as we head into testing with @RiseRacing89 Full unveiling goes down at Daytona. So let’s hear it, what do YOU think the iconic paint scheme will look like? “
