Casey Mears to make NASCAR Cup return after six years at Martinsville

Casey Mears will make his first NASCAR Cup Series outing since 2019 at this month’s Cook Out 500 at Martinsville.

The 47-year-old will drive the Garage 66’s No. 66 Ford Mustang in the seventh round of the season, carrying sponsorship from camper and trailer services company HitchGO.

The Bakersfield native racked up 488 starts while diving full-time in the Cup Series between 2003 and 2016, scoring his one and only victory in the famous Coca Cola 600 with Hendrick Motorsports in ‘07.

He made a one-off return at the 2019 season opener in Daytona, and is now back in NASCAR for what would be his 490th start.

Mears said he is gunning for 500 starts in the Cup Series, suggesting further outings could be in the works this season. At the moment, he is only confirmed by Garage 66 for the Martinsville.

“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 Carl 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.”

The nephew of four-time Indianapolis winner Rick Mears, Casey has a versatile CV that saw him win the 2006 Daytona 24 Hours outright with Scott Dixon and Dane Wheldon in a Chip Ganassi-entered Riley MK-XI.

“Having Casey Mears drive a Garage 66 car is a proud day for our organization,” said team-co owner Carl Long 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.

“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.”