CASEY MEARS SALVAGES TOP 25 AFTER LATE-RACE MISFORTUNE

Player Management International Media Release

Daytona Beach, FL (February 27, 2012) – Although it seems like a lifetime ago, Mears is just one week removed from his fifth place qualifying effort at Daytona International Speedway.  A few days later, Mears exercised patience and vision when he ducked out of the lead pack during Gatorade Duel #2 in order to preserve his primary car for the Daytona 500.
 
While excitement brewed on Sunday for the 54th annual Great American Race, Mother Nature chased everyone from the historic facility when she dumped heavy rain on the Daytona area, forcing the postponement of the Daytona 500 for the first time in its 54-year history.  Race fans would be forced to wait an extra day to hear the Daytona thunder.
 
On Monday evening, the green flag would finally turn the field loose in front of a packed house at the World Center of Racing.  Mears rolled off 36th, but quickly made his way forward through the field.  The #13 GEICO Ford Fusion had moved into 29th position before narrowly avoiding a crash that brought out the event’s first caution flag of the evening on lap two.  He cracked the Top 20 on lap 19.  Mears spent most of the first half of the race in the Top 20.  Once the race passed the halfway point, he took the #13 GEICO Fusion on a tear through the field and quickly found himself in the Top 10 by Lap 125. 
 
Mears settled into the fourth position on lap148 and would remain there until the yellow flag was displayed on lap 156.  Mears brought his GEICO machine down pit road for left side tires and fuel before returning to the racing surface.  What happened next ventured into the realm of bizarre.  Under the caution flag, Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into a jet drier on the backstretch causing both vehicles to explode into flames.  Consequently, NASCAR placed the field under the red flag. 
 
Two hours later, when engines were re-fired and the racecars began rolling, Mears lost fuel pressure on the front stretch, requiring a push to get him back around to pit road.  Once he arrived in the GEICO pit box, the Germain Racing pit crew discovered an electronic fuel pump issue and promptly changed out the control unit.  After sitting in seventh position when the red flag came out, he would now return to the race on lap 167 two laps down in the 30th position.  Although he later took a spin through the grass after attempting to avoid a crash, Mears fought his way back to a 25th place finish. 
 
Despite the setbacks, Mears departs Daytona 25th in points and significantly ahead of where he was a year ago.
 
“It’s beyond frustrating because we should’ve never been in that situation,” Mears said after climbing from his #13 GEICO Fusion.  “But, at the same time you have to recognize how well we ran tonight.  We were in position to win the Daytona 500 and everyone knows it.  I’m really proud of the guys on this Germain team.  Everybody knew we were there tonight and we’ve shown what we’re capable of accomplishing, as well as the drastic improvement from a year ago.  I can’t thank GEICO and B’laster enough for their great support this week.  To have their executives at the track on Sunday really meant a lot to me and our team.”
 
The Germain Racing team will next travel to Phoenix, AZ, for race number two of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.  Mears and his #13 GEICO Ford Fusion will hit the track at Phoenix International Raceway for the opening practice session on Friday, March 2nd, at 2:30 PM (ET).  Qualifying will follow on Saturday, March 3rd, at 2:35 PM (ET). 
 
The Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, March 4th, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 2:30 PM (ET).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.
 
To learn more about the GEICO racing program, please visit: www.geicoracing13.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