Casey Mears to reach 500th career NASCAR Cup

Beard Motorsports has finalized a deal with Casey Mears to participate in five NASCAR Cup races this year, driving the No. 62 Chevrolet.

Mears will make his debut with the team on April 26 at Talladega Superspeedway. He will also race in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the second Daytona race, the second Talladega race, and the season's final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

If he qualifies for all five races, Mears will achieve his 500th career start during the Homestead finale. Remarkably, the 48-year-old entered the 2026 Daytona 500 with Garage 66, starting 17th and finishing 32nd, marking his 495th career start.

Since Mears began his Cup career in 2003, he has secured one victory, which was in the 2007 Coca-Cola 600.

“We’re excited about the chance to collaborate with Casey Mears for these five races in 2026,” said Amie Beard-Deja, executive vice president of Beard Motorsports. “Beard Motorsports is a passion project for my family, and we’ve been dedicated to continuing what my dad started. Taking the No. 62 Chevrolet to new locations is beyond what we imagined when we began in 2017.

“After learning about Casey’s goal to reach his 500th Cup Series start, we began discussions. His experience in the NASCAR Cup Series and at the tracks we’ll visit this year fills us with excitement for the upcoming season.”

Mears added: “Joining Beard Motorsports, a team founded by the late Mark Beard Sr. and run by his wife and daughter, is very meaningful to me. We have a heartwarming story that resonates with race fans. Over the past year, I’ve realized how much I still love racing and competing. I’m deeply grateful for Bob Germain and his ongoing support as I approach 500 Cup starts. His generosity is touching, and I value his friendship.”