Denny Hamlin breaks down how Cleetus McFarland almost won at Talladega

Denny Hamlin saw it unfold in real time, and like everyone else, he came away impressed. On this week’s edition of Actions Detrimental, he reacted to Cleetus McFarland’s near-win in the ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway. 

The veteran wheelman broke down the final moments that ultimately kept McFarland from pulling off one of the more unlikely victories in recent memory: “Cleetus was just one solid move away from actually winning,” Hamlin said. “He had all the help behind him, but he was so concerned with the car that was on the inside. 

“… He goes down, he’s trying to block it. Meanwhile, the guy that was about to push him just goes on by on the outside, and wins the race.”

That sequence, a split-second decision at full speed, proved to be the difference. After taking the lead with under 30 laps to go, McFarland suddenly found himself in a position few expected. 

An outsider in the NASCAR world, better known for his massive online following than stock car résumé, he didn’t just hang with the field, but he led it. And for a moment, it felt real: “Mark my words, I am winning this race,” McFarland told the FOX broadcast while leading under caution.

Alas, that confidence wasn’t misplaced. With drafting help behind him and momentum on his side, McFarland was in prime position heading into the closing laps. But at Talladega, where chaos and timing rule everything, even the smallest hesitation can flip the outcome.

Still, Hamlin saw something bigger in the performance: “I mean, certainly it looks like he’s more in control of his car now than he’s ever been,” he said. “I think the track time is doing him well, and I think the ARCA series is doing him well. So, it’s working.”

As you can tell, that growth showed. From the moment he grabbed the lead, punctuated by an emotional radio call shouting “I’m living the dream,” to battling at the front in the closing laps, McFarland delivered a performance that was equal parts surprising and compelling.

“I thought it was a fun race to watch just simply because from my standpoint, he was in it,” Hamlin added. “Could you possibly see this amateur driver go out there and win this race?”

At Talladega, the answer is always yes. While McFarland came up just short, finishing second in a photo finish, he proved something important, not just about his potential behind the wheel, but about his ability to capture attention. Because in a race full of veterans and rising stars, it was the outsider from YouTube who stole the show.