Who are these NASCAR guys Anyhow?

Casey Mears
Birthday: March 12, 1978
Hometown: Bakersfield, Calif.

Casey Mears took a U-turn and steered away from the racing circuit for which his surname is most known — the Indy Racing League.

The son of off-road legend Roger Mears and nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, Casey Mears confided in his family elders and it was agreed upon the sibling was destined for a career in NASCAR.

Mears made his NASCAR debut in a 2001 Busch Series race before hitting that circuit full time the following year. He finished fifth at Talladega and had only one other top-10, but it was enough for Chip Ganassi to put him behind the wheel of a Cup car in ‘03.

It was a busy year for Mears who, along with the grind of the 36-race Cup schedule, made 14 Busch starts and won three of the four ARCA races in which he competed. Mears began to show promise on the Busch circuit and did the same in the Cup Series the following year.

In 2004 Mears had a fourth-place finish at Watkins Glen to go along with his nine top-10s, and won back-to-back poles at Pocono and Indianapolis, setting a track record in the process to join his uncle as a pole-sitter at the famed Brickyard.

Mears was practically still taking baby steps when he began following in his family’s footsteps. In 1982 he took up racing BMX bicycles at age 4 and later ATVs, then in ‘91 go-karts.

In 1992 he started competing in the SuperLites Off-Road Series, and in ‘95 won the Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship.

In 1996 Mears began to make his way up the open-wheel ladder, starting in the Indy Lights Series. He finished eighth in his debut at the Cleveland Grand Prix, and in ‘99 placed second in the point standings. That season he became only the fourth driver to complete every lap and recorded four podium finishes, eight top-fives and 11 top-10s.

Mears won the Grand Prix of Houston in 2000. He began testing Indy Cars and finished fourth in his CART debut at California Speedway. Mears raced in both Indy and CART in ‘01, then decided his future was in stock cars.

Mears tied his career high with nine top-10s in ‘05 with a personal-best three top-fives. He finished the season with a fourth place at Texas and a fifth-place run two weeks later in the season finale at Homestead.

In 2006 Mears jumps from Ganassi’s No. 41 Dodge to the No. 42.