As rumored, Mears to replace Papis
Mears will be entered as the driver of the #13 GEICO Camry in the seven remaining GEICO sponsored races in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The 2011 season will feature Mears and the Gecko in the #13 Germain Racing entry at 18 events.
Effective immediately, Mears will put the Gecko on his chest and attempt to expand the Sprint Cup Series program that Max Papis and the Germain Racing team have worked hard to establish.
Mears carries with him one of the most recognized names in the sport of auto racing, while his resumé makes him the obvious choice to be the new wheelman of the #13 GEICO Camry. He has experienced success at each of NASCAR’s top two levels, winning races in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series. Versatility being a cornerstone for Mears, he has also won races in the Indy Lights Series, ARCA Series, and in 2006 he became the first full-time NASCAR driver to achieve an overall victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
While Mears boasts a distinguished resumé, his family dinner table features a banquet of successful careers. He is flanked by father, Roger Mears, who is a championship off-road racer, while his uncle, Rick Mears, has netted four Indianapolis 500 wins.
Germain Racing will most benefit from Mears’ experience at the top level of NASCAR. Since making his NASCAR debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 10, 2001, Mears has been employed by NASCAR’s best and brightest, including Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing.
“I’m excited at the opportunity to drive the #13 GEICO Camry for Germain Racing," Mears said. “It’s a great opportunity and I believe with all the hard work that Germain Racing has put into their Cup program, as well as our relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing, that we’ll be able to do good things. I’ve known Bootie Barker (crew chief) for a long time, so I think we’ll work well together. I’m ready to get to work and do a good job for GEICO."
Mears’ experience combined with Germain Racing’s technical relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing should result in marked improvement as the GEICO Racing program heads into the 2011 season.
To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com