Casey Mears has landed a new opportunity. He will join a new team so he can hit a desired milestone this season.
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The veteran driver, 48, will join Beard Motorsports for five starts this season, starting with the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26. These five starts will take him to his stated goal of 500 Cup Series starts.
The rest of Mears' schedule will include the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 29, the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 25, and the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 8.
NEWS: Beard Motorsports is excited to share that #NASCAR veteran @CJMearsGang will drive the #62 Cup Series Chevrolet for five races in 2026 beginning with the April 26 #JackLinks500 at @TALLADEGA. pic.twitter.com/PZcf7GjMfE
— Beard Motorsports (@BeardOil62) March 31, 2026
Mears will have multiple supporters for this Cup Series opportunity, including the Gracie Foundation. This charitable organization supports women battling cancer through uplifting care packages. Gail "Gracie" Germain, the late wife of former NASCAR team owner Bob Germain, founded this organization.
"We're thrilled with the opportunity to partner with Casey Mears for these five races in 2026," said Amie Beard-Deja, executive vice president, Beard Motorsports.
"It has been well documented that Beard Motorsports is a passion project for my family and we've been committed to carrying on what my dad started. To take the No. 62 Chevrolet to new venues is beyond anything we could've imagined when we started in 2017.
"After hearing about Casey's desire to get to his 500th Cup Series start, we started talking. His experience in the NASCAR Cup Series and at the tracks we'll visit with him this year makes us very excited for the rest of the season."
Beard, the winner of the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, had been away from the Cup Series after the 2019 Daytona 500. However, he made a surprise return last season. He joined Garage 66 for the spring race at Martinsville Speedway, and he stated that he wanted to hit 500 Cup Series starts.
The veteran driver made five starts in 2025, all with Garage 66. An 18th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway served as his standout performance.
Mears then returned this season for the Daytona 500 in February. This start, also with Garage 66, took him to 495 career starts. Now, he has an opportunity to hit 500 as he takes over the No. 62 Chevrolet, an entry that has contended for strong finishes in past superspeedway races.
"Partnering with Beard Motorsports, a team founded by the late Mark Beard Sr., and operated by his wife and daughter, means a lot to me," Mears said in a statement. "We have a feel-good story that connects with race fans.
"One thing I've learned during the last year is how much I still love racing and competing. I'm incredibly appreciative of Bob Germain and his continued support as I close in on 500 Cup starts. His generosity is moving and I'm thankful for his friendship.
"I've watched Beard Motorsports race over the years, and it's a team that doesn't just show up for superspeedway races - they make races and are competitive. As a racer, that's really appealing."
