Casey Mears, the well-known Californian driver, is preparing for his Casey Mears Daytona 500 comeback after a seven-year break, aiming to qualify as an open entry alongside Garage 66 at the 2025 crown jewel event in Daytona. His return to one of NASCAR’s most iconic races has generated excitement among both fans and insiders, eager to see how his experience will influence this season’s competition.
Mears Teams Up with Garage 66 for a Daytona Return
Mears recently completed five Cup Series starts last season, participating in three races for Garage 66 at Talladega, Martinsville, and Phoenix. His top finish was 18th at the Talladega superspeedway, marking his competitive reentry since last racing in 2019. The 2025 Daytona 500 presents Mears another chance at redemption, as his last attempt saw him finish last following a Stage 2 incident.
Confirming the news of Mears’ return, noted NASCAR reporter Joseph Srigley shared,
“On @SiriusXMNASCAR, Carl Long confirms that @MBMMotorsports will be fielding a #DAYTONA500 entry for Casey Mears. The team will also field an ARCA Menards Series entry for Derek White at Daytona.”
Supporters have responded passionately to the announcement, demonstrating widespread enthusiasm for Mears’ journey back to Daytona.
“LFG Casey Mears!!!,” a fan wrote.
“I will be rooting for Casey Mears,” an X user wrote.
“Heck yeah! Glad to see this!,” a fan said.
“Hopefully Mike Wallace can get another shot at it. Happy that Mears is gonna try tho. Hope he makes it!,” another penned.
Competition and Historical Context of Mears’ NASCAR Career
Originally, 65-year-old Mike Wallace was set to take the wheel for Garage 66’s Cup Series entry in Daytona, but after NASCAR refused the entry, Chandler Smith stepped in to replace Wallace. Meanwhile, Mears has a rich history at the Daytona 500, having raced there fifteen times with a peak finish as the event’s runner-up in 2006. Other notable drivers confirmed for open entries at this year’s race include Jimmie Johnson, Corey Heim, and Justin Allgaier.
Casey Mears Discusses Green-White-Checkered Heartbreaks
Reflecting on his career’s near-misses, Mears appeared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, where he discussed losing leads late in major races due to green-white-checkered restarts. When Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked if these late cautions cost him potential victories, Mears candidly explained,
“We had three races that year. We were leading Texas at the end, had a caution with like five to go. We were leading Atlanta, had a caution with like six or eight to go. And we were leading Homestead with 17 to go. I don’t think that they did that in a way of, you know, ‘We need this other guy to win the race.’ No. It was purely an opportunity to make the racing more exciting,” Mears said.
“From a fan’s perspective, to get like a green white checkered or a late race run, it was exciting. You know, I can’t say that it was wrong, you know, but I can say it didn’t work in my favor.” he added.
Despite participating in countless events and leading races, Mears has one Cup Series victory to date, which came in the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Impact of Mears’ Comeback for the 2025 Season
Casey Mears’ renewed effort at the Daytona 500 symbolizes persistence and brings a familiar face back to a field that has seen many changes over the years. The combination of Mears’ veteran perspective and fan enthusiasm adds new intrigue to this year’s competition. With multiple open entries, experienced names like Jimmie Johnson and Corey Heim in the mix, and the ongoing narratives of teams like Garage 66 and MBM Motorsports, the upcoming Daytona 500 is set to deliver significant storylines for fans and competitors alike. NASCAR observers will be keen to see if Mears can overcome previous disappointments and potentially surpass his career-best runner-up result at the event.
LFG Casey Mears!!!
— LSTNSCRFN (@LsTdiecast) December 23, 2025
PEAK
— nick (@nickthecooldud2) December 24, 2025
I will be rooting for Casey Mears https://t.co/cFMd4UZPoQ
— dwest (@dwest___) December 23, 2025
Heck yeah! Glad to see this! https://t.co/39QiCW0lN5
— Alex Gray (@AlexGray83) December 23, 2025
