"Let's Be RONest" with Ron Bergenholtz
Let’s Be RONest presented by Nitto Tire is where we get real about cars, racing and life at large. Hosted by NHRA Drag Racing champion and Nitto Ambassador Ron Bergenholtz, this podcast goes full throttle into the automotive world and beyond.
Each episode, Ron sits down with industry icons and people of interest who share one thing in common—a passion for their craft. From behind-the-scenes racing stories to deep dives into culture, you’ll get an unfiltered look at what drives the people who live life on the road, the track, and everywhere in between.
If you love cars, crave authenticity, and want to hear from the voices shaping the automotive community and beyond, buckle up—because it’s time to be RONest.
"Let's Be RONest" with Ron Bergenholtz
Building Speed and Betting It All with Cleetus McFarland | Let’s Be RONest
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In Episode 7 of Let’s Be RONest, host Ron Bergenholtz sits down with drag racer, ARCA competitor, pilot, and Freedom Factory owner Cleetus McFarland for a wide open conversation inside McFarland Fab.
Fresh off a 261 mph pass in his radial Camaro “Eagle,” Cleetus breaks down what it feels like to drive the fastest radial car in the world, what’s going through his mind past the eighth mile, and why holding it wide open at 200+ mph is a different kind of pressure. The conversation shifts into Cleetus’ transition into stock car racing, from ARCA competition to his long term goal of qualifying for the Daytona 500.
Ron and Cleetus also rewind to the early days, including the moment he went all in to purchase what would become the Freedom Factory. From nearly draining his bank account to navigating COVID shutdowns, Cleetus details the risks, sleepless nights, and belief it took to turn a rundown oval into one of grassroots racing’s most iconic venues.
This episode features Cleetus McFarland discussing radial racing, ARCA competition, building the Freedom Factory, entrepreneurship, aviation, and chasing speed at the highest level.
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