People get to live vicariously through his dream-like existence
Thanks for putting your finger on the part I don't get. It applies to my relationship with almost all celebrities and most forms of fandom. I have few touchpoints and can only relate my limited experiences. Jimmy Buffett had planes and boats and I didn't care what he did with them. My interest was almost exclusively limited to his music, with a background awareness of his environmental work. I knew Matt Kenseth was into metal rock but that didn't motivate me to take a second look at a genre I'd already decided wasn't for me. I couldn't tell you what the casts of the several Star Trek series did / do with their off-screen time, but I probably wouldn't watch them doing it or take those interest up for myself simply because they're interested. I scratch my head at Taylor Swift's fans flocking to the Chiefs like they'd never heard of the NFL before two seasons ago. (Maybe this is why I also don't get the entire 'influencer' thing?)
(Today he's gonna fly an airplane he just bought. Then he's gonna save flooding victims with his jet boat. Then he's gonna have over Clay Millican to dyno a Top Fuel car in comical fashion. Tomorrow he's gonna try and get certified for a large helicopter. (these are literally the content of his videos BTW)
So, no, I don't get the appeal of watching someone else do something I otherwise have no interest in, especially when it's being done as ... poorly? as McFarland is currently driving. I understand in my head that some folks enjoy watching a particular person do things but I don't get it in my gut. Again, that's not just McFarland's videos; for me, it's the entire genre of watching folks stream their activities.
I realized that I was holding all the recent hoopla against the guy, and that wasn't fair to him. I resented posts making it sound like he was yet another messiah to resurrect the fanbase. I find it hard to believe the viewers of a motorhead stream aren't already aware of NASCAR, and I am still unsure how many of his fans will become long-term NASCAR watchers when he isn't racing. But as far as I know, he hasn't claimed bringing viewers to NASCAR is his goal. He has no control over what people post about him, which outlets want to interview him, or what hopes others project onto him.
He just wants to make some laps. For the most part I'll watch his stock car racing through the same lens as Frankie Muniz and Patrick Staropoli, or Angus Young and Patrick Dempsey when they drove sports cars. With all of his business interests and other hobbies, I doubt he'll have the time to become competitive but he has as much right to try as anyone else who can leverage a seat.
It's been a slow day waiting for vehicle inspections. Sorry.
. The neighborhood group plays three times a week. Most weeks I show up once or twice, rarely all three days, and occasionally not at all. I have no plans to become a competitive player, I'm just after exercise with some friends. While I've played tennis and badminton in the past, I'm mediocre and not improving as quickly as I could if I practiced more. Still, I get in some good shots (more by luck than skill) and I'm welcome (especially we need a fourth for doubles 
).
