Consistency, perseverance favor Mears and Geico team as they head into 2014

After qualifying 40th for Sunday’s season finale at Homestead, Mears hustled around the 1.5-mile racetrack and, after picking up 12 positions, he recorded a 28th place finish.  When the checkered flag ended the race, it marked the close of Germain Racing’s first full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  With the 2013 season behind them, Casey Mears and his GEICO team look to the bright future that lies in wait. 

Mears and company experienced considerable improvement in the 2013 season, leaving them hopeful as they head into what will be a busy winter.  The key to Germain Racing’s success is that they keep moving forward.  Since entering NASCAR’s elite series in 2009, after two championships in five years in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the organization has improved with each passing season and this year is no different.  Team owner Bob Germain wraps up the season 26th in the Owner Point standings after being 30th a year ago, while driver Casey Mears finishes up 2013 in the 24th position in Driver Points, a five spot improvement over 2012, which saw him 29th.  Mears and the GEICO team also recorded 20 Top 25 finishes in 2013. 

Many organizations will take time off after returning from Homestead, but the GEICO team went scurrying back to the race shop where they are anxious to get their hands on the new #13 Chevrolet SS, which will come rolling in any day now.  On October 11th, Germain Racing announced a new alliance with Richard Childress Racing, which will see them transitioning to Chevrolet in the off-season.  Switching manufacturers is something that will demand all hands on deck as everyone begins celebrating the holidays.  With very little employee turnover, the Germain Racing team provides a family atmosphere that serves as a platform for growth and success.        

The term ‘off-season’ is a bit of a misnomer, as the hours committed by the team will actually increase at different times in an effort to be prepared for a rapidly approaching 2014 season.  While the green flag for the 2014 Daytona 500 is not scheduled to wave until 1:19 PM (ET) on Sunday, February 23rd, the GEICO team will visit the historic Daytona International Speedway for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test on January 9th and 10th.  Subsequent testing will also take place in January, leaving very little downtime for crew members to enjoy the comfort of their own bed. 

“It’s been a nice year of improvement and growth in our GEICO program and next season should continue to help us to expand and elevate our status in the Sprint Cup Series,” Casey Mears said.  “I’m so proud of the guys on this Germain Racing team and thankful for the hard work they put into making sure we have cars ready to go and are prepared each week.  They spend a lot of time away from their families, so I hope they can enjoy some time at home over the holidays.”  He continued, “We are all very appreciative of the support of our sponsor GEICO and our team owner Bob Germain because it’s their commitment that will allow us to keep building our program.”

Armed with a full-season sponsorship commitment from GEICO and a driver under a multiyear agreement, consistency should favor the Germain Racing team as they quickly begin to eye the upcoming 2014 season.  As they leave what’s behind and reach toward what’s ahead, Mears and his team members are focused on growing a program that has already experienced considerable success.

PMI PR