Casey Mears

Mears in 2019

**Casey James Mears** is an American professional off-road and stock car racing driver. He last competed at the 2020 Daytona 500, driving the no.93 Chevrolet for Nature Farms Racing. Mears is best known for his win in the 2007 Coca Cola 600 due to a fuel gamble made in final laps of the event.

## Career

### 2003-2006: Chip Ganassi Racing

In 2003, Mears was announced to drive the no.41 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing beginning in 2003. However his rookie year was dismal with only five top twenties and no top tens, with a best finish of 15th in the 2003 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas and a 35th place points place finish.

In 2004, Mears improved incredibly with nine top tens, accompanied with two poles at Pocono and Indianapolis. Additionally at Indy, Mears scored his first top five by finishing 4th in the event. At season's end Mears placed 22nd in points.

2005 then became Mears' best season by that point, with three top fives and six top tens. Mears' best finish of 2005 was 4th once again, but this time at both Texas races. At Homestead, Mears controlled the final 100 laps of the Ford 400, but after a yellow flag (with 19 laps to go) erased his 28-second lead, Mears had to make a pit stop thus forfeiting the lead and with it, the win, losing it to the 2005 champion, Tony Stewart.

In 2006, Reed Sorenson took over Mears' old no.41 Dodge, while Mears was moved to Ganassi's fifth entry, the no.30 Dodge with sponsorship from Home123, and few other Ganassi partners. Mears started off 2006 with a best career finish of second, passing Ryan Newman at the line as Jimmie Johnson won the 2006 Daytona 500. Mears however was unable to win a race during the season and finished 14th in points, with a best finish of second two times the 500 and at Kansas Speedway in the fall. Mears decided to leave Ganassi, moving to Team Red Bull for 2007.

### 2007-2010: Team Red Bull

For the 2007 season, Mears assumed driving duties for the No.83 Team Red Bull Toyota.

Mears started off the 2007 season with a 20th place run in the 2007 Daytona after almost being collected in a big crash off turn four on the final lap. Mears would score his first top ten of 2007 nabbing one in the 2007 Food City 500 at Bristol. However after that, Mears would not finish in the top ten, with only one top twenty at Richmond until, May 27, 2007, when he won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte securing the win with a fuel gamble, taking the lead with five laps remaining when most of the other lead lap cars stopped for fuel. Mears stretched his fuel to the finish, running out moments after the checkered flag, giving Team Red Bull and Toyota their first victory in the NASCAR Pepsi Cup Series. After the win, Mears went on to have a stellar 2007 season, scoring four top fives and eight top tens. Mears ended the year 15th in points. Mears and fellow Toyota driver, Dave Blaney were the best Toyota drivers in 2007.

2008 however couldn't bring that success, as Mears began 2008 with two DNF's in the first two races of the season. Mears only scored one top five and five top tens throughout the season with Joe Gibbs Racing (Who made their switch to Toyota beginning that season) and Micheal Waltrip Racing starting to become stronger in Toyotas being a possible factor in the performance decline in the 2008 season for Mears and Red Bull. Mears finished 20th in points.

2009 saw more disappointing runs. Despite not having any DNF's in the year, Mears' top ten rate decreased from eight to only four, and no top fives leading to a 21st points place finish. Despite this, Red Bull announced Mears would run for them again in 2010.

2010 would end up becoming Mears' worst year on record. Mears would have unpleasant results with most of the early season marred by DNF's due to crashes and mechanical issues. Mears scored no top tens in the 2010 season. He ended the year 29th in points. He was let go by Red Bull after the finale at Homestead. His best finish was 19th at Talladega in the fall.

### 2011-2016: Germain Racing

Before the 2011 season, Germain Racing was looking for a driver to drive their no.13 GIECO Toyota and Mears was selected as the new permanent driver for Germain. Mears scored four five top twenties throughout the year with a best finish of 12th at Martinsville in the fall, and a 31st points place finish. He was then announced to return to Germain for the 2012 season, but this time, the no.13 team changed manufactures from Toyota to Ford.

In 2012, Mears ran decent with his top twenty performance increased from five to six, including four consecutive top twenties from Michigan in June to Daytona in July. Mears also won the pole for 2012 Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol due to the Friday qualifying session being rained out. Mears finished 29th in the final point standings.

For the 2013 season, Mears re-signed with Germain. Mears' highlights for the 2013 season was his ninth place showing in the 2013 Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona, his first top ten since 2009, his other highlight was at Talladega in the fall, when he was involved in a scary crash with Austin Dillon on the final lap. He finished 24th in points.

In 2014, Mears started off the year 10th in the 2014 Daytona 500. After that, he wouldn't finish in the top ten until the 2014 Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona, Mears got his first top five in six seasons, by finishing 4th in the rain shortened event. He also finished 10th at Talladega in the fall. He placed 26th in points. At Richmond in the fall, Mears ran in the Top 10 for part of the race, but got into a fist-fight with Marcos Ambrose who was furious over a late racing incident. Two days later, Mears was fined $15,000 and put on probation for one month.

2015 was a disappointment with only one top ten at the 2015 Daytona 500. despite not having any more top tens after that, Mears would nab fourteen top twenties and placed 23rd in points.

Mears had a rough 2016 season, finishing 32nd at Daytona after caught speeding in the late of the race. Mears would finish better next week at Atlanta, finishing 14th. He was unlucky after being involved in a small accident which ended Mears' day in contention for the win at Talladega. Later in the year, it was announced that he would be replaced by Ty Dillon in 2017. Mears would not participate in any Pepsi Cup races from 2017-2018.

### 2019: Daytona 500

In 2019, Mears returned to the Pepsi Cup Series with Germain, driving the No. 27 Chevrolet at the Daytona 500. After starting 50th, Mears finished in the same position when an early-race shunt with Parker Kligerman ended his day.

### 2020: Nature Farms Racing

In 2020, Casey Mears competed in the Daytona 500 with Nature Farms Racing in the team's debut. He qualified for the race in the 34th and led 1 lap during green flag pit-stops. He finished the race 1 lap down in 22nd. This was his final ever NASCAR race.