Mears, 40, joins Ty Dillon, who will drive Germain’s No. 13 GEICO Chevy. Qualifying for the Feb. 17 race at Daytona International Speedway is set for Sunday.
“I have considered running a second car in the Daytona 500 for years,” Germain said in a statement (via NASCAR.com). “My immediate focus is still on our No. 13 team and the full season that Ty Dillon will run. However, when the chance to field a second car with Casey Mears came together this year with Jay Robinson building the car and providing the at-track crew, I wanted to jump on it."
Mears hasn’t driven in a Cup Series race since the 2016 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He drove full-time for Germain from 2010-16, placing as high as fourth at Daytona International Speedway in the July 2014 race.
In 488 career Cup Series starts, he has one victory — in the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 — while driving for Hendrick Motorsports. His best finish in the Daytona 500 was in 2006, when he finished second driving a Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing.
This season will mark Germain Racing’s 11th year of Cup Series racing. Dillon is entering his third season of full-time competition in NASCAR’s top series with crew chief Matt Borland.
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