[VIDEO] Travis Pastrana Wins a New C8 Corvette Z06 at Cleetus McFarland’s Freedom 500 Race

Apr 10, 2025

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[VIDEO] Travis Pastrana Wins a New C8 Corvette Z06 at Cleetus McFarland's Freedom 500 Race

Photo Credit: @garrett_1320video / Instagram

If you ever wondered the worst possible treatment of a brand new Z06, you don’t have to wonder any longer.

Just watch YouTube star Cleetus McFarland’s latest video that chronicles his 30th birthday bash that was part of the sixth annual Freedom 500 race at the Freedom Factory, the worn-out oval track left for the buzzards but thoughtfully brought back to life by Cleetus.

At his new “playground,” Cleetus and buddies have enjoyed all sorts of juvenile fun over the years, like burnout contests, races, and other assorted mayhem (apologies to Allstate), but nothing to match this year’s celebration that offered the choice of a brand new Corvette Z06 or a loaded Springer van to the winner of a 100-lap race there.

All sorts of other YouTube stars, pro athletes, and NASCAR greats – including the likes of Travis Pastrana, Kevin Smith Racing, WhistlinDiesel, Brian Deegan, Hailie Deegan, and Greg Biffle – took part in the race, which featured identical Ford Crown Victorias fitted with nitrous for a little extra “go juice” when necessary.

Travis Pastrana Wins A New C8 Corvette Z06 At Cleetus McFarland's Freedom 500 Race

Fortunately for the channel, Pastrana wound up crossing the finish line first, and just as he had promised Cleetus he would do, Travis turned his buddies loose with spray paint on the Z06, giving the once-black car a patriotic new look of red, white, and blue and then taking it for a bunch of burnouts on the track. He also promised fans he’d jump 140 feet in the Z06 and then take the drivetrain out of it and re-install it in a van!

“As far as entertainment value,” Cleetus admits, “it doesn’t get any better than that. I can’t believe Travis did this to the Z06.”

By the next morning, however, Cleetus had second thoughts and convinced Pastrana to go in a different direction with his prize.

“I said, ‘brother, that’s a $120,000 car all day long – it’s got a complete PPF wrap on it. I could take that wrap off and completely fix the car, especially if Collin who’s here from Glass Live Atlanta takes it and gets all the overspray off the headlights, and sell it for say $110,000 and you could maybe buy a normal C8 if you want to jump one for say $45,000 cuz they’re all over the place.’ After a little bit of thinking, Travis said, ‘Cleetus, I’m going to go ahead and go with that plan.'”

Cleetus apologizes to his fans for the unexpected return to reality. “So admittedly I talked him out of it, which may kinda suck for the entertainment value for you guys,” he says. “I know you wanted to see him jump this car, I’m sure, but I just couldn’t help myself but to tell him it was a bad idea to ruin a C8 Z06. I get it, but let’s sell the Z06 and do it to a base model.

“There may always be a little bit of paint on it, but when we sell it, someone will get a good deal on a Z06 and it’ll have a little bit of character!”

And in case you’re wondering what his buddies got Cleetus for his birthday, underneath a huge wooden box, check out the video and see what “sparked” their creativity in choosing the gift.