Casey Mears sends strong message on NASCAR Cup comeback and chasing career milestone

Casey Mears is set to return to the NASCAR Cup Series this year during the Cook Out 400 at the Martinsville Speedway. He will be driving the #66 Ford for Garage 66, with Carl Long as his crew chief.

The last time Mears raced in the series was back in the 2019 season when he participated in the Daytona 500 for Germain Racing. Before that, he was a full-time driver for the team up until the 2016 season and also shared his stints with other teams including the likes of Richard Childress Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and Chip Ganassi Racing.

He has been out of professional racing for a few years but will return to action at Martinsville Speedway.

"I’m happy to be back in a race car and look forward to returning to Martinsville, one of my favorite tracks," Mears was quoted as saying by Garage 66. "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."

Garage 66 competes in the Cup Series with unchartered cars. Chandler Smith is one of the team's drivers this year alongside Mears who took his shot at the Daytona 500 but failed to qualify.

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Garage 66 co-owner opens up about how he met Casey Mears

Mears's crew chief during the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway, Carl Long, is also the team's co-owner. He is also a former driver who participated part-time in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series. However, he largely remained a part-time driver and never won a race, but his large participation earned him his identity on the field. He also participated in Truck Series races.

As he prepared to welcome Mears to the team, he mentioned that it was a "proud day" for the outfit. He also revealed that the two met while racing on the field and how Mears treated his competitors with utmost respect.

"Having Casey Mears drive a Garage 66 car is a proud day for our organization," Long was quoted as saying by Garage 66. "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."

Mears has run 489 races in the Cup Series but won only one race. He also has one victory in the Xfinity Series.