Casey Mears to replace Jimmy Spencer in the #41

[General Lee 01]

From NASCAR.com

 

 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Former open wheel driver Casey Mears hopes to make his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in the 2003 Daytona 500, driving the No. 41 Target Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing.

 

Mears, 24, the nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, makes the move to stock car racing's premier division after only 35 starts in the NASCAR Busch Series.

 

"I'm excited to be starting my Winston Cup career with Target Chip Ganassi Racing," Mears said. "This is a great opportunity for me to be a part of a first-class organization that is dedicated to winning championships."

 

Mears made his stock car debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the 2001 season finale and ran the full 2002 campaign for team owner Wayne Jesel in the No. 66 Phillips 66 Dodge.

 

Mears had one top-five and two top-10 finishes and ended up 21st in the driver standings. He had six top-10 starts in 34 races this season, including a best of second at Nashville Superspeedway.

 

He will be paired with young crew chief Jimmy Elledge, 32, who started working at Ganassi's shop on Monday.

 

"The addition of Casey adds a lot of excitement and energy to the team," Ganassi said. "Our company is about winning races and adding value to our sponsors' investments and we're confident that Casey's work ethic and talent coupled with Jimmy's experience can help us do just that for Target."

 

At Homestead two weeks ago, Jesel said Mears had a contract with him for 2003 and that he was searching for sponsorship to continue Mears' program. Jesel said at that time he had not been contacted by any other owners nor had Mears discussed leaving with him.

 

However Mears, who had made a limited number of starts in CART and IRL Indy cars from 1996-2001, was seen as a future talent that was rumored to be under consideration for a Hendrick Motorsports Busch Series ride, among others.

 

In 1995, Mears captured the Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship -- an open-wheel training series -- after finishing third in 1994.

 

Mears enters what's been a hot seat. Each of the drivers in the previous two seasons, open-wheel champion Jason Leffler in 2001 and NASCAR veteran Jimmy Spencer in 2002, were told before the end of their respective campaigns they would be fired at season's end.

 

"Target wants a kid because of the Jamie (McMurray) deal," said Winston Cup veteran Bobby Hamilton, who had hoped to get the No. 41 ride. Hamilton referred to Ganassi's third driver, who was named to pilot Ganassi's 2003 Havoline Dodge in September, then stepped into Sterling Marlin's championship contending Coors Light Dodge in October and won in his second start.

 

"Chip knows he was pretty lucky," Hamilton said. "Chip is actually scared because he knows he needs young people in his whole organization in the next couple years, but right now he would rather have a veteran driver.

 

"The sponsor wants the next Jamie McMurray, who they think is gonna be the next Jeff Gordon. But I'll tell you what -- the next Jeff Gordon is getting kinda hard to find.

 

"Jeff Gordon had it figured out from the start, how the cars worked and what he needed to tell his people. When you throw it all in the driver's lap, until the team gets going in the same direction that really separates the good from the decent."

 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Former open wheel driver Casey Mears hopes to make his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in the 2003 Daytona 500, driving the No. 41 Target Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing.

 

Mears, 24, the nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, makes the move to stock car racing's premier division after only 35 starts in the NASCAR Busch Series.

 

"I'm excited to be starting my Winston Cup career with Target Chip Ganassi

 

Racing," Mears said. "This is a great opportunity for me to be a part of a first-class organization that is dedicated to winning championships."

 

Mears made his stock car debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the 2001 season finale and ran the full 2002 campaign for team owner Wayne Jesel in the No. 66 Phillips 66 Dodge.

 

Mears had one top-five and two top-10 finishes and ended up 21st in the driver standings. He had six top-10 starts in 34 races this season, including a best of second at Nashville Superspeedway.

 

He will be paired with young crew chief Jimmy Elledge, 32, who started working at Ganassi's shop on Monday.

 

"The addition of Casey adds a lot of excitement and energy to the team," Ganassi said. "Our company is about winning races and adding value to our sponsors' investments and we're confident that Casey's work ethic and talent coupled with Jimmy's experience can help us do just that for Target."

 

At Homestead two weeks ago, Jesel said Mears had a contract with him for 2003 and that he was searching for sponsorship to continue Mears' program. Jesel said at that time he had not been contacted by any other owners nor had Mears discussed leaving with him.

 

However Mears, who had made a limited number of starts in CART and IRL Indy cars from 1996-2001, was seen as a future talent that was rumored to be under consideration for a Hendrick Motorsports Busch Series ride, among others.

 

In 1995, Mears captured the Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship -- an open-wheel training series -- after finishing third in 1994.

 

Mears enters what's been a hot seat. Each of the drivers in the previous two seasons, open-wheel champion Jason Leffler in 2001 and NASCAR veteran Jimmy Spencer in 2002, were told before the end of their respective campaigns they would be fired at season's end.

 

"Target wants a kid because of the Jamie (McMurray) deal," said Winston Cup veteran Bobby Hamilton, who had hoped to get the No. 41 ride. Hamilton referred to Ganassi's third driver, who was named to pilot Ganassi's 2003 Havoline Dodge in September, then stepped into Sterling Marlin's championship contending Coors Light Dodge in October and won in his second start.

 

"Chip knows he was pretty lucky," Hamilton said. "Chip is actually scared because he knows he needs young people in his whole organization in the next couple years, but right now he would rather have a veteran driver.

 

"The sponsor wants the next Jamie McMurray, who they think is gonna be the next Jeff Gordon. But I'll tell you what -- the next Jeff Gordon is getting kinda hard to find.

 

"Jeff Gordon had it figured out from the start, how the cars worked and what he needed to tell his people. When you throw it all in the driver's lap, until the team gets going in the same direction that really separates the good from the decent."

 

Here's my $.02.

 

What is Ganassi smoking?!

 

I know Jimmy Spencer wasn't Ganassi's Best driver last year, but d@mn! Every BGN race I saw this year, (I missed  about 5 races) Casey Mears was sitting behind the wall with one Tore up race car. ####, Robby Gordon has more Nascar Talent than this guy!

[Guest Friz]

I agree with you, General. But all the sponsors are looking for that young "wonderkid" that Jeff Gordon was. And they are willing to gamble for a year on a prospect. Look at what Robert Yates gambled on Kenny Erwin. Havoline go NOTHING!!

Casey Atwood was another that was put in the fire too early, now look at him. Owners and sponsors aren't taking care of the young talent anymore and bringing them up to speed to compete. They all want a young, talented, good looking kid RIGHT NOW that can win.

They just aren't out there as much as they're needed.

It kinda sickens me how good talent is being wasted and thrown away just because money won't be patient and let these young drivers be conditioned the right way.

[Elwood]

Casey Atwood got screwed!!

 

He did better in his first year than Mayfield did in the 19 car.  He would've won by now, where's all the wins for Mayfield?