Even though the 1986 model El Camino known as ‘Mullet’ has scored wins on both the drag-and-drive calendar, as well as a World Cup Finals victory in 2022, the last few years haven’t been as good. Competition has gotten faster, and although Tye and the Cleetus crew revamped the car with a new rear end and aftermarket 4-link set-up, it wasn’t the answer.

After tapping Cameron Johnson Race Cars in Lakeland, Florida to build a 5-second Pro 275-class ’69 Camaro recently, Cleetus took advantage of an open spot in their schedule to slide Mullet in for the next round of upgrades.

Many people might associate the ‘LeRoy’ C5 Corvette as the car that kickstarted the Cleetus McFarland YouTube channel. But it was the C7 supercharged C7 Corvette known as ‘The Bald Eagle Machine’ that was featured first by Cleetus. The El Camino known as ‘Mullet’ has one of the more recognizable rides from the Cleetus’ garage, and it has captured a slew of drag-and-drive wins, as well as a World Cup Finals victory in 2022.

Mullet has run as quick as 6.3-seconds and over 235 mph at nearly 3600-pounds, but Cleetus knew the car needed changes. “I’ve been a little frustrated with Mullet lately,” said Cleetus this past May. “We’ve been trying to make it go faster, and it just doesn’t seem to want to go faster.” Now, the El Camino is in line for upgrades at Cameron Johnson Race Cars.

To say Cleetus and crew are busy 24-7 is an understatement. But he hasn’t forgotten his roots, and plans to return to drag-and-drive in 2024 with a trio of rides and a renewed determination to win a class have been detailed in his latest video.