Casey Mears is on the verge of reaching a major milestone in the world of NASCAR as he approaches his 500th NASCAR Cup Series start, solidifying his role as a standout in Cup history. As he prepares for the upcoming race at Daytona International Speedway, Mears is set to add another chapter to the record books, highlighting his journey of longevity, adaptability, and partnership within the series.
Approaching the 500 Starts Club in the NASCAR Cup Series
With 490 NASCAR Cup Series starts already completed, Casey Mears is just 10 races away from joining an elite group: only 47 drivers in the history of NASCAR have started 500 or more Cup Series races, a prestigious achievement he is eager to reach. The list of active racers with this level of consistency is small, featuring only Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Michael McDowell. Mears’ career longevity is a testament to both his driving ability and enduring presence in the sport.
A Victory at Charlotte and Rare Company Among Winners
Mears achieved one of his career highlights in 2007 by winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend. Out of approximately 3,000 drivers who have ever started a NASCAR Cup race in the sport’s 77-year legacy, only 206 have managed to win. This places Mears among a select circle of drivers, underlining the significance of his victory and his competitive edge since breaking into the Cup Series.
Consistency and Success at Daytona International Speedway
Casey Mears’ prowess at Daytona is well documented. The Bakersfield, California native has completed 4,234 out of 4,528 possible laps at the challenging, high-banked, 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway, earning a stellar 93.5% lap completion rate. Known for its chaotic restrictor-plate racing, Daytona has provided Mears with many top-5 and top-10 finishes, reinforcing his reputation as a top performer in these high-risk, high-reward contests.
Building Enduring Relationships: Teaming with Carl Long and Bob Germain
Mears’ career has also been defined by stable partnerships and long-lasting relationships within NASCAR. He and Carl Long, now a team owner, have competed against one another previously, with Long having more than thirty years of involvement in multiple roles across the sport. The journey also brings Mears back together with team owner Bob Germain, with whom he has maintained a strong bond since driving for Germain Racing between 2010 and 2016.
Mears spoke about the importance of reuniting with his former boss as he pursues his latest milestone:
“It’s really special running with Bob and having his and his family’s support for Daytona. I think when I ended up at Germain Racing in 2010, I needed them and they needed me. I was at a point in my career where I wasn’t sure which direction to take, but I had accumulated a lot of experience and knowledge from working with elite organizations and had the tools to help them grow. When you collectively go through something like that, growing a Cup team from the beginning, it creates close relationships with the people around you. I was with Germain Racing for nearly seven seasons, so working with them to build the program from a part-time effort to a competitive, full-time program was super rewarding. But you navigate a lot of challenges together, which resulted in a special, lifetime relationship between Bob and me. For him to step up now to help me hit the 500 start mark is incredibly generous, and I lack the words to quantify my appreciation. He means a lot to me, and I’m thankful we get to do this together.”
—Casey Mears, Driver
Partnerships Powering the Drive
Heading into Martinsville and beyond, Mears is backed by strong sponsorships that fuel his ongoing campaign. S.I. Yachts, a leading dealer for Viking Yachts and Valhalla Boatworks, is featured as the primary sponsor and is owned by the Germain Motor Company, further linking past and present for Mears. Acrisure, which debuted as a sponsor with Mears at Martinsville, continues its partnership, now as a major associate sponsor.
This collaboration reflects the interconnected nature of NASCAR’s team and sponsorship culture, where long-standing relationships and mutual respect help propel drivers toward their goals. Mears’ experience with Germain Racing, and continued backing from Bob Germain, shows a rare continuity and loyalty in a sport known for frequent team and sponsorship changes.
Enduring at Daytona: Adaptation and Preparedness
Mears’ adaptability has been key to his consistent performance, particularly at Daytona where conditions and rules can shift rapidly. His skill at navigating the unpredictable nature of restrictor-plate racing has kept him near the front more often than not. When asked about maintaining a high lap completion rate at Daytona, Mears explained:
“We all know Daytona can be unpredictable, but over time, they’ve constantly changed the rules there, so I think being able to adapt to different packages and the change in the style of racing is beneficial. Early in my career, I got caught up in a lot of incidents, but the longer you’re around it, you’re able to start reading the room better and get a feel for if the drivers around you are getting antsy, and you sense the potential for a crash. You’re able to quickly put yourself in a better situation, and sometimes that’s dropping to the rear of the field, which is often a prevailing strategy at the plate races, and a smarter decision. The key is to make it to the end of the race, make your way to the front and have a shot at it. I haven’t been in the pack for a while, so it’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out this weekend, but hopefully it all comes back to me like it did at Martinsville.”
—Casey Mears, Driver
Returning to Daytona with Clear Goals
As Mears returns to the site of past triumphs, his focus remains on leveraging his experience and preparing for a challenging race weekend. With no practice sessions available and only qualifying laps to assess his car, Mears is prepared to adapt quickly as the race unfolds. Speaking about his mindset and expectations, he noted:
“It’s really going to depend on how the car feels. I have lofty goals, thanks to my past experience, so if we can get the car halfway decent, we can hopefully get up front and get a really solid finish, or even a win if favorable circumstances present themselves. The caveat is that there will be zero practice this weekend, so my qualifying laps will be the only track time I get before being in the middle of the pack. I will need the opening laps of the race just to get a sense of how my car will draft with the other cars around me. In the past, I’ve taken cars at Daytona that have struggled with single-car speed and got to the front and got a good result, but I’ve also had a really good car and got caught up at the wrong place and wrong time, so you never know, but I’m always optimistic. Carl (Long) was able to get us a good Roush-Yates engine under the hood and a strong pit crew, and the guys in the Garage 66 shop have put together a good car, so I’m excited to get on the track. As long as we do our job and put everything together properly, there’s no reason we can’t run up front and compete for a win.”
—Casey Mears, Driver
Legacy in Numbers and Notable Rides
The No. 66 S.I. Yachts Ford Mustang is the latest in a series of cars Mears has driven with the number 66 displayed proudly. His history with the number spans different forms of racing, including the No. 66 Pioneer–WorldCom Honda–Reynard for Mo Nunn Racing in the CART FedEx Championship Series—now known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES—and the No. 66 Phillips 66/Injex Chevrolet for Cicci-Welliver Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. This unique thread adds another layer to his story in motorsports and ties together his experiences across racing’s major circuits.
What Comes Next for Casey Mears and the NASCAR Cup Series
As Mears eyes his upcoming milestones, including the elusive 500-start mark, he continues to exemplify endurance, adaptability, and deep roots within the NASCAR community. His progress is closely watched not just by fans but by peers such as Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, and Kyle Busch—all drivers charting their own historic paths. Supported by familiar names like Bob Germain and Carl Long, and racing at legendary venues from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Daytona International Speedway, Casey Mears is poised to leave a lasting imprint on the NASCAR Cup Series milestones conversation. With enthusiasm for the challenges ahead and gratitude for the partnerships that have shaped his career, Mears moves forward, determined to prove that experience and perseverance continue to matter at the highest levels of stock car racing.
