MEARS ENDS UP AS COLLATERAL DAMAGE AFTER FAST START IN LOUDON

Player Management International Media Release

Loudon, NH (July 14, 2013) – The Germain Racing team has experienced a run of good fortune since their departure from Darlington on May 11th.

Inclusive of that was their first Top 10 finish of the 2013 season last week in Daytona when GEICO driver Casey Mears crossed the finish line in the 9th position.  Loudon, New Hampshire, would be the next stop on their journey, but the team would find themselves challenged from the beginning.

Mears and his #13 GEICO Ford Fusion were 34th in the weekend's opening practice session on Friday before qualifying 29th later in the day.
Saturday saw him 34th and 36th in the respective practices.  Crew chief Bootie Barker and his crew spent the better part of their Saturday evening working to find speed.  Their efforts would be rewarded when the race got underway on Sunday afternoon.

A packed house awaited race day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  The afternoon quickly heated up and the GEICO team found themselves amid steamy temperatures and bright sunshine.  Due to a penalty assessed to Jimmie Johnson, Mears would roll off from the 28th position, a one spot advantage over his qualifying position.  When the green flag turned the field loose for 301 laps of racing, Mears and his #13 GEICO Ford Fusion quickly began making progress and had peeked into the Top 25 before his fate took a downward turn.

Unfortunately, Barker and company’s late Saturday night work at the team hotel would turn out futile at best when a lap 14 crash collected Mears and ended his chances of a strong finish.  On the frontstretch, Kevin Harvick and Marcos Ambrose found themselves in a tussle over track space before Ambrose succumbed to the battle and spun into Mears’ #13 GEICO Ford Fusion, sending them both behind the wall for extensive repairs.

The front end of Mears’ machine was severely damaged and even left him without a radiator.  The Germain Racing team was in high gear and quickly made repairs to the heavily damaged race car and miraculously returned Mears to the race while losing just 50 laps.  While Mears emerged in the 42nd position, the team continued their work during pit stops and he was able to complete the 301 lap event and turn in a 36th place finish, picking up 6 critical positions that will ultimately assist in their ascension in the point standings.

“It was a tough weekend for our GEICO team, but Bootie and the guys found some speed and we were making good progress when the race started. It’s always tough to deal with a situation like that where we end up as collateral damage,” Mears said following the race.  “These guys on this Germain team did a great job of making repairs to our #13 GEICO Ford Fusion and making sure I was able to finish the race.  Picking up six additional spots was great and it definitely helps.  We’re looking forward to taking a weekend off and then going to Indianapolis, one of my favorite tracks.”

Casey Mears and the GEICO team will enjoy a week off before heading to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the July 28th running of the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard.  Mears’ family has experienced considerable success at the legendary speedway, leaving him excited to hit the track for practice on July 26th.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.caseymearsracing.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