Former Daytona 500 Pole Winner Casey Mears Targets Return for the 2026 Running of the Great American Race
There is an old saying in the garage that you never truly retire from racing. Instead, you just wait for the next phone call. For Casey Mears, that call has been answered. The veteran driver is set to strap back into a stock car, aiming to make the field for the 2026 Daytona 500.
It’s a move that stirs up plenty of nostalgia for fans who grew up watching the Cup Series in the early 2000s. Confirmed by team owner Carl Long on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Mears will pilot the No. 66 entry for Garage 66. This isn’t just a ceremonial lap. It is a serious bid to compete in the sport’s biggest spectacle, The Great American Race.
A Veteran’s Return to the High Banks
Mears has been relatively quiet on the national stage recently. The 47-year-old hasn’t competed in the Daytona 500 since finishing 40th in 2019. In a sport that often favors the fearless aggression of youth, seeing a seasoned wheelman return to the cockpit adds a layer of intrigue to Speedweeks.
For Mears, this opportunity is about more than just shaking off the rust. It’s about the competitive fire that runs deep in his family’s bloodline. While he stepped away from full-time competition after the 2016 season, his resume speaks for itself.
He spent over a decade grinding it out week after week against legends like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson. You don’t spend that much time in the pressure cooker of the Cup Series without learning how to handle a car at 200 miles per hour, specifically in the draft at Daytona.
Chasing the 500-Start Milestone
Beyond the allure of the Daytona trophy, there is a statistical mountain Mears is looking to climb. He is currently sitting on the precipice of 500 career Cup Series starts. It is a milestone that commands respect in the paddock.
It signifies longevity, durability, and the ability to keep a ride in one of the most cutthroat business environments in sports. If Mears manages to qualify for the 2026 Daytona 500, he will be just a handful of races away from hitting that 500-start mark.
It seems likely that the plan involves running a partial schedule throughout the 2026 season to bridge that gap. Watching a driver chase a career number like that provides a compelling storyline for the season, giving fans a reason to tune in and root for the No. 66 team.
The Legacy of the Mears Name
When you talk about this driver, you have to talk about the weight of the name on the door rail. The Mears family is racing royalty. From his uncle Rick Mears, a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, to his father Roger, an off-road and IndyCar veteran, Casey has always carried the torch for the next generation.
His career highlight remains the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. While critics might point out that it was a fuel-mileage victory, history remembers only who held the trophy.
Winning a Crown Jewel event while driving for Hendrick Motorsports put Mears in an elite club. That night in Charlotte proved he could calculate the risk and manage equipment when the stakes were at their highest, skills that are absolutely critical for surviving the chaos at Daytona.
The Challenge of Qualifying for the Great American Race
Making the show won’t be a walk in the park. Garage 66 is a scrappy organization, but they don’t have the massive engineering budgets of the powerhouse teams Mears used to drive for. Qualifying for the Daytona 500 as an “open” car, one without a guaranteed starting spot via a charter, is one of the most stressful experiences in motorsports.
Mears will likely have to race his way in during the Duel qualifying races on Thursday night. It will require patience, a fast car, and perhaps a little bit of help from the draft. But if there is anyone who knows how to navigate the unpredictable currents of the Daytona draft, it’s a veteran like Mears.
The 2026 Daytona 500 just got a lot more interesting. Come February, all eyes will be on the No. 66, watching to see if Casey Mears has one more magical run left in the tank. So, stay tuned.
