ATLANTA DRAWS ON MEARS’ PERSEVERANCE
Player Management International Media Release
Hampton, GA (September 6, 2011) – While the positive momentum has been rolling for Casey Mears and the GEICO team, Atlanta proved to be a challenge for the Bakersfield, CA, native. From the moment Mears steered the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry onto the 1.54-mile oval until they packed it up late Tuesday, the Germain Racing team spent the vast majority of their time battling an ill-handling racecar.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice provided little hope, as Mears landed 36th and 44th on the chart in the respective sessions. Qualifying also left the team scratching their heads when the #13 GEICO Camry turned a lap of 30.757-seconds, placing Mears 38th on Sunday’s starting grid.
Mears and the GEICO team’s next challenge would come in the form of Mother Nature.
While Mears shows up each week to compete against the biggest names in auto racing, it was a name of a different sort that would halt the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field over the weekend. Tropical Storm Lee placed NASCAR on hold while barreling it’s way through the Atlanta area, delivering an unforgiving blow and leaving significant damage in its path. While the fans and race teams remained at Atlanta Motor Speedway late into the night on Sunday, it was seemingly impossible to get the race started, leading NASCAR to postpone the event. Given that the storm was picking up steam, NASCAR’s brass made a wise call in moving the race to Tuesday morning, removing fans and teams from potential danger on Monday.
Gray skies, cool temperatures and a light mist greeted Mears and his #13 GEICO Camry when they arrived on pit road ready to race on Tuesday morning. Jet driers hit the track early, putting NASCAR on target for an 11:00 AM (ET) start. The green flag waved on time and turned the field loose in front of a grandstand filled with dedicated race fans wrapped tightly in their jackets and blankets.
Though Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry began to struggle immediately, Mears approached the 500-mile race with the stature of a heavyweight fighter, intent on going the distance. Despite battling an ill-handling racecar, Mears picked up four positions in the opening four laps, landing the #13 GEICO Camry in 34th as the GEICO team seemed to have a renewal of hope. While NASCAR originally scheduled a competition caution for Lap 30, Bobby Labonte thought he would get the yellow flag waving early when he went for a spin on Lap 11, bringing out the event’s first caution of the day.
Mears restarted the 325-lap race in the 32nd position on Lap 16 and continued his progress, arriving in the 30th position on Lap 25. The competition caution would wave as scheduled on Lap 30, allowing Mears to bring his GEICO Camry to the attention of the Germain Racing pit crew, where they would provide him with four fresh Goodyear racing tires, a tank of Sunoco racing fuel and adjustments.
On Lap 39, Mears radioed to crew chief Bootie Barker: “I’m tight all the way off.” Lap 50 also found Mears talking to Barker: “I’m getting real loose now; can’t get in, can’t get off. This thing is crazy loose. It is bad sideways.”
While under caution for a Lap 93 Bobby Labonte crash, Mears once again alerted Barker to his troubles: “I need way more rear grip. It drives like something is broken; like there is a flat tire.” Barker ordered the #13 GEICO Camry down pit road for service. The Germain Racing pit crew refreshed Mears with four new tires, fuel and adjustments.
Mears would toil away, doing his best to make up lost ground. On Lap 147, Mears said to Barker: “Bootie, when we get home let’s make sure to cut this car in half,” to which Barker responded, “We will, Casey, we will.” Mears comment drew the expected laughter and lightened an otherwise tense mood in the pit area.
Mears and the GEICO Camry had moved into 32nd before rain began falling on the high-banked racing facility on Lap 175. The jet driers hit the track quickly and just ten laps later NASCAR returned the field to green flag conditions. Rain would once again put a damper on things on Lap 201, but the jet driers attacked the track and allowed the fans in attendance to witness a full 325 laps of racing.
As the race wore on, Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry began picking up positions and soon found themselves turning respectable lap times. Given the problems faced by the team, Barker decided to go off-strategy and change the pit cycle. Barker’s decision proved fruitful, as Mears would gain positions and ultimately record a 28th place finish in a race that was otherwise a colossal challenge. While they initially were struggling for survival, Mears and the GEICO team transformed a bad day into a productive race where they picked up ten positions from where they started and further solidified their 32nd spot in the Owner Point standings.
“It was just one of those days,” Mears said with a smirk when he climbed from behind the wheel of the #13 GEICO Camry. “It happens to every team and every driver, but you never want it to happen to you. This is a race where you are thrilled to see the checkered flag so you can move on to the next race. All things considered, we had a decent day. We started off really rough, but Bootie made some good calls and the GEICO pit crew did a good job of making adjustments, so we were able to make up some ground and finish 28th.” Mears continued, “We’re really looking forward to getting to Richmond next week because it sits in the Gecko’s backyard, so to speak. GEICO is just 100-miles away, so we always enjoy going there.”
Next on tap for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is Richmond, VA.
Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the 3/4-mile D-shaped oval of Richmond International Raceway for the opening practice session at 12:10 PM (EDT) on Friday, September 9th. Qualifying will follow at 5:35 PM (EDT).
The Wonderful Pistachios 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Saturday, September 10th, and it will be televised live on ABC beginning at 7:30 PM (EDT). The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.
To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com
You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing
Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing