The CARS Tour is heading to new territory to kick off the 2027 season as the series teams up with Cleetus McFarland.
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According to a Monday press release, the Late Model series will take on the 3/8-mile Freedom Factory in Bradenton, Florida, on Feb. 6, 2027. McFarland owns the track, which previously operated as Desoto Speedway.
Series co-owners Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick are both expected to be on the entry list for the CARS Tour festivities as they compete against McFarland and the series regulars. Both the Late Model Stock and Pro Late Model divisions will compete at the short track.
This will make history for the CARS Tour. It will mark the furthest south that the series has competed in its short history. Last season, the CARS Tour traveled to Cordele Motor Speedway in Georgia while setting a new milestone. Next season's schedule will surpass it.
Desoto Speedway opened to the public in 1978, and it hosted numerous events over the decades. The Florida short track had local racing series, as well as the ASA National Tour. It also hosted the NASCAR Southeast Series.
The track ceased operations in 2018 due to financial issues. It remained abandoned until 2020 when McFarland purchased it for content creation purposes.
Now branded as the Freedom Factory, this short track has come back to life in a major way. It holds several events throughout the year, which bring in fans from all over.
The headline event is the Freedom 500, a 100-lap race featuring drivers in old Ford Crown Victorias. The lineup has featured numerous big names over the years, including Travis Pastrana, Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan, Wyatt Miller, Hailie Deegan, Corey LaJoie, Michael Waltrip, and the late Greg Biffle.
The Freedom Factory has also hosted team races, such as the 2.4 Hours of LeMullets. The most recent iteration of this event featured McFarland and Carson Hocevar sharing a Crown Victoria and taking it to victory lane in November 2025.
