YouTube sensation Cleetus McFarland, whose popular videos about racing and cars have built a worldwide audience of nearly 3.5 million subscribers, will present an action-packed two days of racing and fun at legendary Bristol Motor Speedway on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-4.
The first of its kind event will feature two intense Burnout Competitions, high-flying Stadium Super Trucks and the inaugural Bristol 1000, a 100-lap race of survival in vintage Crown Victoria sedans for an all-star cast of drivers.
Saturday will be all about burnouts. Drag Racers perform them to heat their tires prior to a run down the quarter-mile and NASCAR drivers do them in wild victory celebrations along the front-stretch. Either way, fans enjoy watching the smoke billow from the heated rubber tires. There will be two different burnout competitions, an Open Burnout Competition that will pay $5,000 to the winner, and an invitation-only Pro Burnout Competition, that will award the winner $10,000. In addition, there will be a special rivals burnout competition between select personalities.
“We have everything from 2,000-horsepower supercharged Camaros to daily driver Mustangs,” McFarland said. “There’s a 1971 Duster, a supercharged Chevelle. It’s literally about who can blow up their tires the best and not blow their engines. There’s usually a lot of carnage going on in the burnout competitions.”
On Sunday, the Bristol 1000 will showcase an all-star cast of pro and part-time race car drivers mixed with an array of social media influencers competing on the all-concrete high-banks at the controls of nitrous-powered Crown Victoria sedans.
Among the notable competitors, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series star Hailie Deegan is scheduled to compete, along with her father, former freestyle motocross and X-Games superstar Brian Deegan, winner of the last two Cleetus Crown Vic races. A wide assortment of YouTube and social media influencers are also on the entry list.
The Bristol 1000 will challenge the participants to survive 100 laps around the tough BMS half-mile oval. McFarland says he can’t believe he and his friends are getting to race the workhorse sedans known for their use as police cruisers around The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.
“The driver’s list for the Bristol 1000 is insane,” McFarland told the media recently. “We will have have YouTubers and professional motorsports drivers. It brings a huge variation of motorsports together. At the end of the day, we’re getting to race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
The event also will showcase 12 of Robby Gordon’s Stadium Super Trucks competing both days. McFarland, who drives one of the trucks, put on a demonstration for the media recently in his Super Truck to promote the event. He performed several jumps, including one of more than 200 feet over an orange sports car.
If you are a gearhead, car lover or high-performance enthusiast, this is certainly an event you won’t want to miss. An open Pit Party will be held each day where fans can come into the infield and check out the historic track up close, see the Crown Vics, Stadium Super Trucks and other cars and get autographs from the unique cast of characters.
“Our audience is a little bit NASCAR, a little bit Monster Jam and a lot of YouTube viewers,” McFarland said. “The burnouts are great for the kids and the Bristol 1000 is great for the guys who like head-to-head racing. There’s action going on that appeals to everyone.”
Tickets for the event start at $30 for Saturday and $40 for Sunday. Kids tickets are $10 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday. A weekend combo ticket is available for $60 for adults and $20 for kids. Event parking is $10 per day. To purchase tickets and parking passes for the Cleetus and Cars / Bristol 1000 event, please visit the Bristol Motor Speedway website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.
CLEETUS & CARS / BRISTOL 1000 WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022
11 a.m. Spectator Parking Lots Open
1 p.m. Spectator Gates Open
1-4 p.m. Pit Party
4 p.m. Skid Pad Action Begins
5 p.m. Open Burnout Competition ($5,000 to win)
7 p.m. Stadium Super Trucks Exhibition
8 p.m. Burnout Rivals Invitational Competition
8:30 p.m. Pro Burnout Competition ($10,000 to win)
Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022
9 a.m. Spectator Parking Lots Open
10 a.m. Spectator Gates Open
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Pit Party
2 p.m. Bristol 1000 Qualifying
3 p.m. Stadium Super Trucks Exhibition
4 p.m. Bristol 1000 Opening Ceremonies
4:30 p.m. Bristol 1000 Race (100 laps)
6:30 p.m. Event Complete
BMS PR
