Cleetus McFarland And Company Take On NHRA Top Alcohol Racers

As the quickest bracket racing (handicap) machines racing on the 1/4-mile anywhere in the country run 6.10-seconds and slower (Top Dragster and Top Sportsman), and are often clustered in that six-second range, it’s not often you get to witness a very quick car race a much quicker car.

Earlier this month, YouTube sensation Garrett Mitchell — better known to most as Cleetus McFarland — took his traveling roadshow to the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the now-annual Cleetus And Cars, a two-day celebration of horsepower, tiresmoke, and bumper-rubbing. And in a unique, first-time partnership that paid dividends for all involved, Mitchell and company teamed with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to contest a Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional in concert with the other festivities, putting Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car racers front and center before a pretty mammoth crowd of young, enthusiastic fans.

cleetus mcfarland, James taal, mullet, mfcflurry, nhra top alcohol

Before things officially kicked off, Mitchell, in his “Mullet” Chevrolet El Camino, and friend James Taal, driving the manually-shifted, Ford 7.3-liter Godzilla-powered Fox body Mustang known as “McFlurry,” bit off a little more than they could chew when they arranged match races with the A/Fuel Dragster of Jeff Chatterson, and three-time Top Alcohol Funny Car national champion Sean Bellemeur, respectively.

Taal, in “McFlurry” made what by almost any standard, is a flying lap of 7.75 at 175 mph, but couldn’t be heard, nor even seen in the same frame as Bellemeurs’ Bartone Brothers Funny Car, which hit the 1/4-mile shortly after Taal crossed the 1/8-mile, slowing to 247 mph and a 5.50 elapsed time.

Chatterson, for his part, made it a point to put on an even drag race with Mitchell and “Mullet,” giving the 6.4-second-capable street car about a second headstart before letting his A/Fueler rip. But once Mitchell spun the tires, Chatterson was long gone, running 5.30 at 270 mph to an off-pace 7.38 at 203 mph.

About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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