| Casey James Mears was born on March 12th in | | | | |
| 1978 at Bakersfield, California. He comes | | | | He made his NASCAR debut in 2001 at the Busch |
| from a family of racers with his uncle, Rick | | | | Series with a 28th place finish. He drove |
| Mears - the four time Indianapolis 500, and | | | | full time the next year and was able to pull |
| his father, the Indy and off-road veteran | | | | in two top-ten finishes. 2003 was not a very |
| Roger Mears. It can be said that racing was | | | | good year for Mears as he only managed to |
| imprinted in his genes from the time he was | | | | finish at 35th as he was not able to complete |
| in his mother's womb. Mears has been quoted | | | | in the top-ten of any race that year. In |
| as saying that he grew up watching both his | | | | 2004, he bounced back and won two poles. 2007 |
| uncle and father race and how he looks up to | | | | however, proved to be his lucky year as he |
| them as his racing heroes. | | | | won his first NASCAR race at the Busch Series |
| | | | race in Chicagoland Speedway. The same year |
| Since Mears was exposed to racing from a | | | | also had him winning the Coca Cola 600 at |
| young age, it does not come as a surprise | | | | Charlotte which was his first NEXTEL cup |
| that he started off in 1982 when he was just | | | | victory while not stopping for fuel during |
| four years old. He was firmly attached to his | | | | the last five laps. Many agree that Mears had |
| BMX bicycles and the ATVs in Bakersfield. In | | | | the best win in 2006 when he teamed up with |
| 1991, he tried out go-karts and was hooked. | | | | Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon for the 44th |
| He took part in the SuperLites Off-Road | | | | annual Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona for Chip |
| series the next year and grabbed several | | | | Ganassi racing. A new record was set for the |
| top-three spots. After that, he took to the | | | | Daytona Prototype category with a total of |
| Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship | | | | 723 laps in 24 hours. This set Mears to newly |
| with a third place finish and in 1995 he | | | | elevated heights when he became the first |
| brought back the Championship. He made his | | | | full time NASCAR driver to win the Rolex 24. |
| debut in the Indy Lights in 1996 and finished | | | | |
| eighth. The next year he competed full time | | | | Mears, who is a real family man at heart, was |
| and his hard work paid off when he came back | | | | a former Houston Texans quarterback. He was |
| with second place in his pocket, just 14 | | | | also the running back at Stockdale High |
| points away from the victor. He became the | | | | School. Mears also cites his spinning out of |
| fourth racer in the Light Series History to | | | | control at Watkins Glen in 2003 as his most |
| take part in every lap during the entire | | | | embarrassing moment in racing while his |
| season. He scored 11 top 10, eight top-five | | | | favorite race track will always be |
| and four podium finishes in that year. After | | | | Indianapolis for the significance it plays to |
| going on to win more competitions, Mears | | | | his family and him. |
| decided it was time to move on to NASCAR. | | | | |