After a solid run in Kentucky saw Casey Mears break into the top-20 in the point standings, the Germain Racing team arrived in Loudon, NH, looking to seek redemption at a track that sent them packing with a 38th place finish a year ago. Mother Nature would once again throw her hat in the ring when rain blanketed the area during the race weekend. Fortunately, race day was spared and the event would get underway at its scheduled time.
In NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Friday, Mears and his No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS advanced to the second round and toured the one-mile facility in just 28.551-seconds, at a speed of 133.403-miles per hour. His effort landed him 21st on Sunday’s 5-Hour Energy 301 starting grid.
The team would have their work cutout for them on race day when temperatures were at least 20-degrees warmer than they were during the practice sessions. Mears quickly moved the GEICO Chevy into the 20th position when the green flag set the field underway for 301-miles of racing on a steamy Sunday afternoon. He soon encountered an ill-handling racecar and by lap 12 had fallen to 27th. Using pit stops and strategy to help the GEICO car, the Germain team began turning the day around. At a track where passing is at a premium and track position means everything, Mears wheeled around the Magic Mile collecting positions while also managing to unlap himself by lap 96. He returned the No. 13 GEICO Chevy to the lead lap on his own as he outlasted the leaders who were forced to pit.
Now back on the lead lap, Mears began ascending the scoring tower and, as the race approached the halfway point, he was running strong in the top-20 and charging. With just 20 laps remaining, he moved the GEICO Chevy into the 16th spot and held the position solidly until the checkered flag. It is Germain Racing’s ninth top-20 finish of the 2015 season. Aside from out-hustling some of NASCAR’s top teams, Mears also further solidified his status in the point standings, where he continues to reside in the 20th position.
“I’m really proud of the guys on this GEICO team because we got behind early, but Bootie (Barker, crew chief) made great calls and the guys worked hard making changes during the pit stops and we were able to get things turned around,” Mears said. “It is nice for us to leave here with a strong 16th place finish because it’s a track that has given us headaches in the past. When you look at the drivers in the top-20, it shows how tough it is out here. Everyone at Germain Racing is working hard each week and we’re making gains. We’re looking forward to getting to Indy this week and we’re hoping for another good result”
The GEICO team will now pay a visit to a venue most special to the Mears family. Both Casey and his father Roger, along with his uncle Rick, have turned laps at the historic Brickyard. Notably, Casey set the track record and sat on the pole at the Brickyard 400 in 2004, while his uncle Rick boasts four Indianapolis 500 wins.
Casey Mears and the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS will hit the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the weekend’s opening practice session on Friday, July 24th, at 1:00 PM (ET). Qualifying will take place on Saturday, July 25th, at 1:45 PM (ET). All activities will air live on NBC Sports.
The Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, July 26th, and it will be televised live on NBC Sports beginning at 3:30 PM (ET). The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network will carry the live radio broadcast, along with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
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