Casey Mears will team up with Garage 66 for his return to NASCAR Cup Series competition at Martinsville Speedway on March 30. Mears, a 47-year-old native of Bakersfield, California, will pilot the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry sponsored by HitchGO.
The news comes as Mears made his recent Cup Series start in the 61st Daytona 500 in February 2019 with Germain Racing. Mears’s participation in this year’s spring Martinsville event would mark his 28th career start at the Paperclip short track venue. It would also mark his 490th Cup Series career start as he strives to reach 500 Cup career starts.
“I’m happy to be back in a race car and look forward to returning to Martinsville, one of my favorite tracks,” Mears said.
“I appreciate [team owner] Carl [Long] working with me to make it happen. He’s a well-respected, great guy who’s worked hard to experience longevity in the sport. I’m excited to have HitchGO, Mosby’s Towing and Transport, and Coble Enterprises on board as we chip away at 500 NASCAR Cup Series starts.”
Mears is the nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Rick Mears and son of former IndyCar and off-road racer Roger Mears. He made his Cup Series debut in the 45th running of the Daytona 500 to commence the 2003 season. From 2003 to 2016, excluding the 2010 season, he would campaign as a full-time competitor in NASCAR’s premier series. During this span, he competed for various organizations. They included Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and Germain Racing, the latter of which was his recent full-time organization.
In total, Mears has made 489 current starts in the Cup division. His first and only victory was in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2007 for Hendrick Motorsports. He has also accumulated three poles, 13 top-fives, 51 top-10s, 484 laps led, and an average finishing result of 23.6. His best points finish was 14th, which occurred in 2006 while driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Mears has also made 107 career starts in the Xfinity Series division. The Californian notched his lone victory at Chicagoland Speedway in July 2006.
“Having Casey Mears drive a Garage 66 car is a proud day for our organization,” Carl Long, owner of Garage 66, said. “He’s driven for NASCAR’s elite, such as Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. Adding Garage 66 to that list means a lot to me and everyone who’s helped build our team.”
“Casey and I first connected many years ago when I was driving and he always treated me and our fellow competitors with respect on and off the track,” Long added. “
“He hails from a historic racing family, but it’s not something he boasts about. He always takes time for everyone, which is indicative of his character. I love having the opportunity to work with good people, especially when they drive fast. I’m excited to get to Martinsville with Casey and have a successful weekend for HitchGO, Mosby’s Towing and Transport, and Coble Enterprises.”
Chandler Smith piloted Garage 66’s No. 66 Ford entry during Daytona Speedweeks. However, he did not qualify for the 67th running of the Daytona 500. This was due to being involved in a multi-car wreck during his Daytona Duel qualifying race. Mears’s entry in the upcoming spring Martinsville event would mark the first start of 2025 for Garage 66. However, this is dependent upon the event’s entry list not growing beyond 40. This would force the organization to qualify on the track as a non-chartered organization.
Casey Mears’ bid to return to NASCAR Cup Series competition will occur at Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400. The event is scheduled for March 30 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.
