Casey Mears back on track for 500th NASCAR Cup Series start in 2026
· Yahoo Sports
Casey Mears is back on track to make his 500th NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After missing the Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, Mears will drive the No. 62 car for Beard Motorsports at Pocono Raceway, the team announced. The former full-time NASCAR driver missed Talladega after qualifying was rained out.
Mears came back to reach the 500-start mark in the Cup Series, even if he isn't competing for wins on a weekly basis. This is a very important milestone for the former Hendrick Motorsports driver, and it would be accomplished in the 2026 season finale at Homestead in November.
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After Talladega, Mears needed to make up one race, and Pocono was deemed to be the best opportunity for Beard Motorsports. While Mears may not be competing for any NASCAR wins with his equipment outside superspeedways, reaching 500 starts is the most important factor.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Casey Mears back on track for 500th NASCAR Cup Series start in 2026