Herm & Schrader Podcast

Episode: Is Cleetus-Mania Taking Over NASCAR?!

Date: April 8, 2026
Hosts: Kenny Wallace, Ken Schrader (plus Dietz guesting)
Network: SiriusXM, Dirty Mo Media

Episode Overview

This lively episode centers on the cultural phenomenon of Cletus McFarlane’s rise in NASCAR, examining what his popularity means for the sport, the evolving approval process for drivers, and the surge of outside personalities fueling new mainstream attention for racing. Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader, supported by regular contributor Dietz, blend irreverent humor, behind-the-scenes insights, and honest debate as they tackle current events, recent race results, and NASCAR’s future in the influencer age. True to their style, the hosts don’t hold back, mixing hard-nosed skepticism with an appreciation for racing’s changing landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Catching Up: Racing & Travels

[01:49] – [06:46]

• Herman (Kenny Wallace) returns from Europe, highlights visiting Greece and notably, driving on the Nürburgring, stressing its legendary danger and quirks (e.g., German police running track incidents).
• Schrader gives his latest racing update: “We went to Red Hill Raceway ... didn’t do any good. We were on fourth—not a good fourth, but we ran fourth.” (02:37)
• The pair riff on myths vs. reality regarding Greek monuments, European motorsport regulations, and Schrader’s relentless racing schedule.

“Formula 1 quit racing [Nürburgring] because of Niki Lauda’s wreck… I decided to take my BMW streetcar and pull a Kenny Schrader—take it easy.” – Herman Schrader (07:10)

2. NASCAR’s Celebrity Wave & Cletus McFarlane

[17:35] – [38:01]

• Main Theme: Is “Cleetus-mania” taking over NASCAR, and what does his participation say about the sport’s direction?
• Breakdown of Cletus’s credentials (“He qualified 35th. He finished 32nd. He was six laps down, spun out four times, and damn, I’ll tell you what. They all felt like that was a hell of a run.” – Herman, 25:22)
• Debate: Is NASCAR too quick to approve influencers over proven drivers, and is this good for the sport?
  • Schrader: “I’m really disappointed in the NASCAR approval process... he’s got such a huge following, they had to let him run.” (26:15)
  • Dietz: “He’s an influencer... and I don’t know if you saw this or not, but I saw a list of the top ranked NASCAR drivers based on Internet searches. It’s pretty sad.” (22:12)
• Discussion compares Cletus to historic celebrity drivers (Marty Robbins, John Force), the value of “bringing attention,” and the perils of confusing popularity with racing accomplishment.
• NASCAR’s savvy: Livestreaming Cletus’s in-car camera to attract new fans.
• Big media moment: “Besides the Earnhardts, I’ve never witnessed a NASCAR driver captivate the people like Cletus McFarlane has. This is just what NASCAR needed.” – Herman (37:13)

3. The Current State of NASCAR: Media Buzz and Business

[38:01] – [42:00]

• Surge of celebrity/outsider involvement: Michael Jordan, Darius Rucker, Pitbull, Cletus. What does this mean for the sport, and are these investments “real”?
  • Schrader: “The best thing we got, the biggest thing we got is we’ve had good racing.” (41:44)
• The consensus: NASCAR hasn’t had this level of mainstream/media attention in years.

4. Race Recaps & Notable Incidents

[44:08] – [57:43]

• Focus on the Rockingham NASCAR Truck race: Corey Heim’s win, Kaden Honeycutt’s late-race misfortune, and controversy over teammate/lapped car involvement in the finish.
  • “If you were coming up in that situation, I was not going to be in your way at the end of the race and I was pretty sure you wouldn’t have been in mine.” – Schrader (48:01)
• Upset over the current NASCAR approval process (again highlighted with Cletus), and the ARCA/truck series talent gap.
  • Cletus performed well in ARCA, much less so in the Trucks: “He was in a good car and he finished fourth (in ARCA) …that afternoon [in Trucks] he finished 32nd. So what does that tell us about the level of competition?” – Kenny (57:15)

5. Silly Season and Future of the 48 Car

[60:15] – [62:42]

• Speculation on Alex Bowman’s health and future at Hendrick Motorsports, with Raja Caruth and Corey Day floated as possible successors.
  • “If the seat was to open up, there’d be a lot of people that would want to be on that list.” – Kenny (62:22)

6. Local and National Race Roundup

[54:47] – [63:50]

• Kudos for regional wins (William Solich in ARCA, Ken Roczen in St. Louis Supercross), plus upcoming race previews.
• Nod to Speed TV’s return and Kevin Harvick’s new TV work: “I like listening to Kevin Harvick. He comes across really good in all sides of our business.” – Schrader (55:43)

7. Social Media and the Racing Narrative

[65:40] – [67:58]

• Humorous closing on the perils and illusions of social media for racing perceptions:
  • “You see something and it makes you think… that 80% of the world is opposite of the way you’re thinking. But in reality, it’s a very, very vocal minority.” – Dietz (67:13)

8. Personal Schedules & Closing Banter

[67:58] – [72:26]

• Each shares their upcoming appearances and racing plans.
• Kenny Schrader to participate in the Heritage Invitational (IROC) and plans to sell his own classic IROC car.
• Wallace prepping for Cletus’s Freedom Factory 500.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Cletus’s impact:

  “Besides the Earnhardts, I’ve never witnessed a NASCAR driver captivate the people like Cletus McFarlane has. And this is just what NASCAR needed.” (37:13, Herman)

• On the approval process:

  “I’m not anti-Cletus, not by no means... I’m really disappointed in the NASCAR approval process and they had their hands tied because he’s got such a huge following.” (26:15, Schrader)

• On Racing & “Resume”:

  “[John] Force was the best at getting sponsorships… ‘What do you have? Bull. I got a lot of bull.’” (18:55, Herman, recounting interview with John Force)

• On social media buzz and its reality:

  “It’s a very, very vocal minority, a small minority with a big mouth or big fingers.” (67:13, Dietz)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | Speakers | |--------------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | 01:49 | Kenny’s Europe Recap & Nürburgring Story | Herman, Schrader | | 17:35 | Is Cletus-Mania Taking Over NASCAR? | All | | 25:22 | Cletus’s Truck Race Performance | Herman, Schrader | | 26:15 | NASCAR’s Approval Process Debated | Schrader | | 33:18 | Marty Robbins Comparison | Dietz, Herman | | 37:13 | Cletus’s Impact on NASCAR Media | Herman | | 44:08 | Truck Race Recap/Race Tactics | Dietz, Schrader | | 48:01 | Teammate Racing Etiquette | Schrader, Dietz | | 54:47 | Speed TV’s Return, Weekly Winners | Herman, Kenny | | 60:15 | Future of the 48 Car | Herman, Dietz | | 67:13 | Social Media & Racing Narratives | Dietz | | 68:59 | Personal Upcoming Schedules | All |

Tone & Atmosphere

• Irreverent, blunt, occasionally self-deprecating, but always passionate about racing.
• A mix of nostalgia, skepticism, and wonderment at NASCAR’s evolving culture.
• Genuine camaraderie, plenty of midwestern humor, and an “off-the-cuff” storytelling style—punctuated by Kenny Wallace’s cheerful bombast and Ken Schrader’s dry wisdom.

Summary for the “Never Listened” Listener

This episode of Herm & Schrader delivers a colorful, no-holds-barred assessment of NASCAR’s new era, spotlighting the Cletus McFarlane phenomenon and its implications for the sport’s gatekeeping, culture, and future. Through candid dialogue, critiques of approval practices, behind-the-scenes tales, and reflections on racing’s surging mainstream appeal, the two Kennys—joined by Dietz—provide both serious analysis and lighthearted entertainment. Essential for fans curious about NASCAR’s new direction, the draw (and limits) of influencer culture, and the enduring principles of what makes racing “real.”