GEICO AND GERMAIN RACING ADD FOUR RACES TO MEARS’ 2012 CALENDAR
Player Management International Media Release
Mooresville, NC (July 27, 2012) – While the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series enjoyed its final break of the season, executives at GEICO and Germain Racing were hard at work trying to close the gap on their 2012 race schedule. What emerged was a plan to add four races to the Gecko’s journey across America.
Once a fledgling Sprint Cup Series start-up in 2009, Germain Racing is now closely eyeing NASCAR’s elite. After being named the driver of the #13 GEICO car in August 2010, Casey Mears has taken a team that previously struggled to make races and helped grow it into an organization that now regularly finishes in the Top 20 each week. The relationship between driver and team is familial and both go about their jobs with an inimitable spirit, which has allowed GEICO to enjoy notable success just three and half years into their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program.
The back half of the 2012 season is well underway and now Mears and his GEICO team will add Watkins Glen, Bristol, Martinsville and Texas to their schedule.
Mears learned of the news after returning from a jaunt to Italy during the break. He was barely unpacked before he shared his thoughts on the team and the races added to the 2012 schedule.
“This is just the news I wanted to hear after a refreshing trip with my wife in Italy, and it says everything about the commitment of our sponsor GEICO and team owner Bob Germain,” Mears said. “GEICO has been a great partner on this journey and the cool thing is that they appreciate the grind; the hard work that goes into building a Sprint Cup Series program. Whenever we’re on the phone with them, they want to know the details of what we’re doing and it’s always encouraging to hear their interest and also see their commitment not only to our team, but also to our sport.”
While Mears will shy away from any comments complimenting his efforts personally, he is quick to offer credit to his teammates at Germain Racing. And, if he senses that someone may not understand the gravity of the team’s accomplishments, he will offer a polite rebuffing.
“Are we an elite team? If you say ‘no’, I may not argue with you because this is a very tough sport and it’s hard to achieve any type of consistent success,” expressed Mears. “But, with that said, go look at the results each week and tell me who we’re beating. Teams out there with much more funding than us find themselves staring at our TV panel during races. That’s what it’s about, maximizing our resources and making the most of what we have available; a moneyball approach, if you will. Between our crew chief Bootie Barker, business manager Larry Rogers, Bob Germain and all of the guys on this team, we’re showing the heart and character of Germain Racing and our GEICO program. We’re proud of what we have accomplished and we’re working hard to continue making progress.”
Mears and his GEICO team take to the track this weekend at maybe the most sacred venue of them all: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IMS is a special place for the Mears Gang and, aside from the youngest Mears, it has also played host to his father, Roger, and his uncle, Rick. The speedway has seen Rick Mears escape the legendary grounds with four Indianapolis 500 wins, while Casey claimed the pole there for the 2004 Brickyard 400 and still holds the track record.
Mears and his #13 GEICO Ford Fusion will hit the track in Indianapolis for the opening practice session on Saturday, July 28th, at 8:30 AM (EDT). Final practice is at 10:30 AM (EDT), followed by qualifying at 2:10 PM (EDT).
The Crown Royal presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, July 29th, and it will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 12:00 PM (EDT). The IMS Radio Network will carry the live radio broadcast.
To learn more about Germain Racing, please visit: www.GermainRacing.com
To learn more about the GEICO racing program, please visit: www.caseymearsracing.com
Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing