Events held at the Freedom Factory create this energized buzz surrounding them. The FF is becoming a staple within the automotive community. At each event that is held there the loyalty and love from the race track grows deeper. The fans that have been following the Cleetus McFarland YouTube channel have been a part of each step of the process, as Garrett Mitchell and his team continuously work to improve the once abandoned race track and turn it into this beloved icon. Each race and event continues to level up from the prior, as changes are made to enhance the experience for the spectators, in person and online, participants and vendors.
Approaching a double header weekend, the Freedom Factory started with 2.4 Hours of LeMullets. Eighteen Crown Victorias lined the pits, ready for a variety of racers to customize each of their beauties. While the majority of the race teams planned some type of paint scheme using spray paint, a few used more creative methods. Dave Sparks and Diesel Dave lined their car with a tributary astroturf from the front bumper to beyond the back in an attempt to camouflage the car with the track’s grass if need be. SXSBlog.com Leo and Sous working smarter using rollers to change their car from a dull white to a black base for a mighty fine Smokey and the Bandit replica. Other notable modified Vics included the BoostedBoiz K-Swapped turbo Crown Vic accompanied by a bright teal and orange branded paint job. Meanwhile, Vice Grip Garage and David Freiburger’s General Mullet, General Mayhem’s second cousin twice removed, was complete with a mayhem style paint scheme including a pristine faux patinated hood scoop. With the purchase of a VIP ticket, spectators were able to watch and interact with some of their favorite YouTubers and icons as the cars were decorated.
Each race car was equipped with a race seat, harness, net, cage, nitrous and new Nitto tires. A crew was ready on hand to replace any of the almost inevitable tire damage that was sure to ensue during the race. Continuing along the lines of safety, all racers were required to wear safety gear before they were allowed to get onto the pavement. In qualifying groups consisting of four cars, they would run three laps for starting placement. Qualifying in first place of the 2.4 Hours of LeMullets was car #21, Nick Sous.
Before the flag was dropped and the race began, the atmosphere and sense of pride of being at the Freedom Factory amplified throughout every person at the venue. A connection of those there in the stands for the first time and a building relationship of those that had been there before. Truly an experience to be part of, feeling the vibe in person. After the national anthem teammates helped strap in the racers, warmed their cars and followed the epic trail of the Summit Racing mullet pace van’s burnout to begin the race. Immediately after the first lap the new kidney shaped track proved to be exciting and pushed drivers to show their capabilities with gusto.
Garrett stated in the drivers meeting that they wanted to stay away from a demolition style race as they have had in the past and for the vast majority of the race that standard was upheld. Sous, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Taylor Ray competitively chased for the top positions for the majority of the first half. Barrels of water were pummeled in the infield of the kidney causing a wickedly slippery section composed of water, grass particles and mud. Due to the shape and conditions of the inner turns of the kidney the screeching brakes could be smelled heavily as the drivers maneuvered that section. With few backup cars available and strict rules on who could receive them, the importance of keeping the original cars intact was a high priority. Emelia Hartford’s #8 Crown Vic broke a tie rod and was given a golden back up. Almost immediately upon reentry to the track the car died and she received a second backup to compete the remainder of the race. Meanwhile Frieburger’s General Mullet appeared to be a bit sluggish and was swapped out at the half as Vice Grip Garage Derek took over. Dave Sparks’ radiator cracked due to overheating from the dirty debris compiled in the front of the car proving to have caused irreparable damage within the time constraints of the race. Cleetus later on approved for Diesel Dave to use one of the back up to continue to participate in the finality of the race.
The second half of the race became more intense as the second drivers, including PFI Speed Brent, BoostedBoiz Kyle, Vice Grip Garage Derek, SXSBlog.com Leo, KSR Performance Kevin Smith, Hailie Deegan, NASCAR Cup Series driver Parker Kligerman and NASCAR drivers Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch, all buckled into their crowns of beauty. Competition runs in the blood of each person on the track as it was their turn to finalize the wins of the prized pair of Fieros. Midway through the second half as the cars grew more wild, a piece of scrap ripped into Brent’s right front tire nearly sending him into the wall. Luckily he was bumped by another car sending him in the right direction where he was able to make it into the pits for the tired to be replaced.
Fighting for first was fierce. Any one of the drivers could have taken the win. At this point in the race the Vics had previously been running unyieldingly for over forty five minutes, the inner section of the kidney grew increasingly worse as the once perfect grass transformed into a mud pit. Bowman’s #48 car not only lost a tire as he skidded up the hill, but lost the lead to Kevin and moved Leo into second place. Approaching the final ten minutes coming out of the kidney the #21 made contact with Kevin’s fender sliding the #7 car up towards the bank. Pulling back to allow Kevin to recover from the slide, Leo momentarily moved into second before being penalized by the race director. It was ruled as an intentional move and forced the #21 car to the back of the pack as the track went under caution.
Upon the restart Leo quickly made up positions while battling Hailie Deegan for a period of time before deciding to make a pass through the grass and gaining his way up to the top positions once again. The final lap with the white flag waving was the signal that Busch had been waiting to make his play as he exited the kidney, moving Kevin aside to take the lead. Leo whipped around Kevin in a drag race for second place.
Fans cheered from the stands as celebratory champagne was sprayed in front of the winning #2501 car. The magnitude of automotive heroism and backgrounds all within the gates of the Freedom Factory shows the true representation of how dynamic of an industry the automotive world is. For that night YouTubers, NASCAR drivers, legends and countless fans were under the newly added lights enjoying the freedoms and adrenaline of racing, at the 2.4 Hours of LeMullets. Walking through the pits with scattered and scraped Crown Vics were joyous teams and crew. Everyone was already reminiscing on the incredible time they had at this year’s race and already looking forward to the next.
Always,