Veteran NASCAR driver Casey Mears will return to the sport’s biggest stage in 2026, as he is set to compete in the Daytona 500 driving for Garage 66. The start will continue Mears’ pursuit of a historic milestone, as he enters the season just six starts shy of 500 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Mears returns to Garage 66 after competing with the organization during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, further strengthening an established partnership built on experience and performance. His Daytona 500 effort will feature S.I. Yachts and The Gracie Foundation as co-primary sponsors, with KARR Security Systems serving as a major associate sponsor.
One of the most seasoned competitors in modern NASCAR history, Mears continues to build on a career defined by longevity, adaptability, and success at the sport’s highest level. Reaching the 500-start mark would place Mears among a select and distinguished group, with only 47 other drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history having reached the milestone.
“Being back at Daytona is always special, and the Daytona 500 remains one of the greatest challenges in motorsports,” said Mears. “To return with Garage 66, after racing with them in 2025, and to be just six starts away from 500 Cup Series races is something I’m incredibly proud of. I’m grateful to S.I. Yachts, The Gracie Foundation, and KARR Security Systems for their support in making this program possible.”
Garage 66 team owner Carl Long is excited to continue the relationship with Mears.
“I am looking forward to going to Daytona with Casey Mears; he’s one of the best restrictor plate racers in the sport,” Long said. “We’ll need to get through the Duel 150s on Thursday, but the way Casey performed for us at Daytona and Talladega last year, we’ll be strong. We’ve also secured a strong pit crew and have added veteran crew chief Jason Miller to the team to assist with race strategy. As long as we do our job with the car and execute on pit road, we should be in the Daytona 500 field on Sunday.”
Casey Mears and the No. 66 S.I. Yachts/The Gracie Foundation Camaro ZL1 will hit the track at Daytona International Speedway for the season’s opening practice session on Wednesday, February 11, at 10 a.m. ET. Daytona 500 qualifying will follow at 8:15 p.m. ET.
The America 250 Florida Duels will take place on Thursday, February 12, and will be televised live on FS1 beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90, will carry the live radio broadcast.
The Daytona 500 is on Sunday, February 15, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast, along with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
About S.I. Yachts
S.I. Yachts, one of the largest and most successful new yacht dealers and yacht brokerage firms in the Northeast, has been assisting our customers into the boat of their dreams since 1964. Founded by Frank Bongiorno who retired after 60 years in the boating industry, S.I. Yachts is now owned by the Germain Motor Company. With 9 locations in the Northeast and Florida, S.I. Yachts offers a true north-to-south sales and service connection for all our seasonal cruising clients. S.I. Yachts is also known for our industry-leading service, allowing our yacht owners to enjoy the boating lifestyle all year long.
S.I. Yachts is a new boat dealer for premium brands such as Viking, Princess, Absolute, Prestige, Pardo Yachts, Valhalla Boatworks, and Scout Boats.
For additional information, please visit S.I. Yacht’s website and follow along on social at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About The Gracie Foundation
The Gracie Foundation was inspired by Gail Germain—lovingly known as “Gracie.” Having gone through cancer treatments herself, Gracie understood the emotional weight of the journey. But she also knew how powerful a simple gesture could be.
During her treatment, she would often say, “Pretty little packages always make me smile… even on a really bad day.” That one sentence became the heart of The Gracie Foundation’s mission.
The Gracie Foundation creates and sends Gracie Gifts—beautifully packaged care boxes filled with comforting, uplifting, and pampering items meant to brighten the hardest days. These gifts are sent to women currently undergoing treatment for any type of cancer, with the goal of spreading hope, strength, and positive energy.
For additional information, please visit The Gracie Foundation website.
About Garage 66
Garage 66 is an American professional stock car racing team, co-owned by Carl Long, fielding the NASCAR Cup Series No. 66 entry out of Statesville, North Carolina. Competing previously under the MBM Motorsports banner and most recently as Power Source, Garage 66 has been racing in the premier series of NASCAR since 2017.
For additional information, please visit Garage 66’s website and follow the team on social at Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn.