ADVERSITY NO MATCH FOR MEARS IN DARLINGTON; GIVES GEICO BUMP IN STANDINGS

 Darlington, SC (May 7, 2011) – Mother’s Day weekend is special to everyone, but for Casey Mears it means a bit more this year.  Aside from having a three year old daughter, Mears’ wife Trisha is nearly nine-months pregnant with their first son.  While Mears spent the better part of Saturday night beating and banging with his fellow competitors on the racetrack, Trisha spent her evening at the racetrack in the couples’ motorhome battling the kicks of the forthcoming Mears.

 The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series took to the track ‘Too Tough To Tame’ on Friday for its opening practice session.  Mears was looking sporty in his #13 GEICO Toyota Camry and rested 26th on the speed charts at its conclusion.  Unfortunately, the final practice would be rained out, forcing the GEICO team to head into qualifying with a bit of uncertainty. 

 When qualifying got underway on Friday evening, Mears calmed the nerves of his GEICO team when he calmly paced the Lady In Black in just 27.879 seconds, at a rate of speed of 176.391 miles per hour.  His effort placed him 32nd on the starting grid for Saturday night’s Showtime Southern 500.

 A packed house and clear skies saw the field get underway when the green flag was displayed on a cool Saturday evening.  Starting 32nd, Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry quickly jumped to the 30th position by the close of the event’s second lap.  When the evening’s first caution flag was displayed on Lap 5, Mears radioed to crew chief, Bootie Barker: “The car is so tight.”  Along with providing Mears with four tires and fuel, the Germain Racing pit crew made the necessary adjustments to free the car up when Mears brought the #13 GEICO Camry down pit road under caution.

 Mears’ visit to pit road proved fruitful and the #13 GEICO Camry began strategically navigating its way through the field.  After reaching the 9th position on Lap 38, Mears eventually found himself as the leader, putting the Gecko at the front of the field for the second time this season. 

 As the Sprint Cup Series field continued to circuit the 1.366-mile oval, Mears would once again begin to battle his racecar.  On Lap 133, Mears radioed to Barker: “It’s terrible, I can’t go.  I can’t do anything because I’m too loose.”  When the caution flag was displayed on Lap 230 for a Brian Vickers/David Ragan crash, Mears took the opportunity to bring his #13 GEICO Camry to the attention of the Germain Racing pit crew.  After furnishing him with four fresh Goodyear tires, a full tank of Sunoco racing fuel and much needed adjustments, the GEICO crew returned Mears to the racing surface in the 28th position. 

 Mears quickly moved the #13 GEICO Camry forward and landed back in the Top 25 on Lap 247.  Mears remained in hot pursuit of the field and for a series of laps he nipped at the bumper of Juan Pablo Montoya before the Columbian driver fell victim to the Gecko and surrendered the 24th position on Lap 279. 

 As the #13 GEICO Camry continued notching positions on the racetrack, Mears’ voice grew silent on the team’s radio frequency.  Mears’s progress continued until NASCAR placed the field under caution when Mark Martin scraped the wall on Lap 280.

 Sitting inside the Top 20, Mears’ night would take a challenging turn on the Lap 285 restart.  As the field went back under green with just 82 laps to go, cars began to bunch up giving Mears no other option but to check up, consequently causing David Reutimann to make contact with the rear of Mears’ #13 GEICO Camry.  The result was significant rear end damage to Mears’ machine, forcing him down pit road under green flag conditions on Lap 287 to repair the affected sheet metal and attempt to restore the racecar’s stability.   

 With just 80 laps remaining, Mears would spend the balance of his evening fighting to keep the car under control, but turned respectable lap times nevertheless.  His efforts would be rewarded when the checkered flag was displayed, as he was able to salvage a 30th place finish despite the heavy damage to the #13 GEICO Camry.  Mears finished just ahead of Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Brian Vickers and was able to solidify the #13 GEICO Camry in the Owner Point standings, jumping the team to 34th.   

 “Man, we had a nice run going, so it’s a little tough to take a 30th place finish,” Mears said after the race.  “The good thing is that we were able to work hard and run up front tonight.  Crashes happen in racing, so while it’s frustrating, it doesn’t take away from how well we did.  We were right there and we were definitely going to get a good finish for GEICO and the Germain Racing team.  We’re doing all of the right things and we’re getting better each week, so I know we’ll continue moving forward and making it happen.”  He added, “It’s great to see Regan (Smith) win because he, as well as the whole Furniture Row team, are good people.  It’s also encouraging to see a single car team win a race.  Those guys were sitting where we are sitting now about six years ago, so to see them make it to Victory Lane is very encouraging.  We will be there.”

 Next week will find the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series taking aim at the Monster Mile in Dover, Delaware. 

 Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the one-mile oval of Dover International Speedway for the opening practice session at 11:00 AM (EDT) on Friday, May 13th. Qualifying will follow on Saturday, May 14th, at 12:10 PM (EDT).

 The FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, May 15th, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 1:00 PM (EDT).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast. 

 To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

 You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing

- PMI -

Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com  

RICHMOND TURNS ITS BACK ON MEARS; LOOKING FORWARD TO A DANCE WITH THE LADY IN BLACK

Richmond, VA (April 30, 2011) – After a weekend off, an energetic Casey Mears was eager to arrive in Richmond, VA, to continue his assault on the Top 35.  First, however, he would make a pit stop at GEICO’s corporate office in Washington, DC, to visit with GEICO associates.  Aside from the normal autographs and photo opportunities, Mears took on GEICO’s best video game players in the NASCAR Wii game.  He prevailed, although it wasn’t without a challenge.

Fortunately, driving a real racecar comes easier for Mears, so he wasted little time in getting started when the team unloaded the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry on Friday at Richmond International Raceway.  While the first practice session saw Mears end up 39th on the speed chart, final practice showed vast improvement and the #13 GEICO Camry was 19th on the board when the session closed. 

When NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying got underway beneath the Richmond sunset on Friday evening, Mears was the 14th car to take to the track.  He immediately jumped to 5th after navigating the ¾-mile D-shaped oval in just 21.184 seconds, at a rate of speed of 127.455 miles per hour.  As cloud cover blanketed the raceway, times picked up and Mears would land 15th on Saturday night’s starting grid. 

Perfect weather welcomed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to the track for some Saturday night racing under the lights.  A big crowd was on-hand when the green flag turned the field loose for 400-laps of racing.

Starting 15th, Mears quickly moved the #13 GEICO Camry into the 12th position by the close of the event’s second lap.  He ran solidly in the Top 15 before Lap 14 heard him reporting to crew chief, Bootie Barker, that his GEICO Camry was “Tight in the center and loose off.”  Thus beginning an evening long battle that would slowly send Mears backwards through the field.

Mears continued to battle an ill-handling racecar until a scheduled green flag pit stop on Lap 84 allowed the #13 GEICO Camry to visit pit road.  Upon arrival in the GEICO pit stall, Mears was provided with four fresh tires, a tank of fuel and adjustments.  Although he entered pit road in the 33rd position, the Germain Racing pit crew completed their work quickly and returned Mears to the racing surface one position to the good, in 32nd.

The adjustments seemed to work and Mears’ lap times picked up until the caution flag was displayed on Lap 107 for debris on the racetrack.  Mears radioed to Barker: “I finally have some rear grip.  My entry and exit are way better.”  He would bring his #13 GEICO Camry down pit road during the caution and the Germain Racing pit crew would once again respond in a prompt manner.  After hitting pit road in the 32nd position, he exited in 30th, netting two positions during his visit.

Mears quickly moved into 29th and found himself flanked by Kurt Busch in 28th and Jimmie Johnson in 30th.  Unfortunately, he would once again find himself battling an ill-handling racecar.

While Mears was busy fighting his racecar, his evening took yet another turn when Bobby Labonte spun his tires on the Lap 265 re-start, causing the cars behind Mears to make contact with his #13 GEICO Camry.  The contact sent Mears into a spin between turns one and two, but he made an amazing save and sustained very little, if any, damage to his racecar.  The incident sent Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry back to the 36th position. 

Mears’ evening would not get any easier and after 300-miles of racing, the checkered flag waved over a very long night.  Despite the adversity presented him, Mears managed to hustle back and record a 28th place finish under the Richmond night sky. 

“We had a tough night, but rather than quit, we kept working on our #13 GEICO Camry and tried to make it better,” Mears said.  “The pit crew did a great job and helped me stay competitive.  Racing will humble you from time to time and tonight was one of those times.  We will put this race behind us quickly and get focused on Darlington.”

Next week will find the Germain Racing team traveling just a short distance to the legendary 1.366-mile oval of Darlington Raceway for the Sprint Cup Series’ 10th race of the 2011 season.

Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the track ‘Too Tough To Tame’ for the opening practice session at 11:30 AM (EDT) on Friday, May 6th.  Qualifying will follow at 5:10 PM (EDT).

The Showtime Southern 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Saturday, May 7th, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 7:30 PM (EDT).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing

- PMI -

Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com 

MEARS MAKES BIG MOVES AT NASCAR’S BIGGEST TRACK

Talladega, AL (April 17, 2011) – A week ago, the Lone Star state saw Casey Mears record a 26th place finish and put his GEICO team back in the Top 35, ensuring he would be locked into the Talladega race.  Mears and the Germain Racing team arrived in Alabama looking to extend their run of positive happenings.

After sitting 24th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ opening practice session, Mears experienced a setback when qualifying saw him place the #13 GEICO Camry 40th on the starting grid.  Patience is a virtue for the California native and race day would find it on full display. 

On Sunday, the green flag turned the field loose for 188 laps of racing amid bright sunshine, cool temperatures and a slight breeze.  Rolling off the starting grid from the 40th starting position, Mears wasted little time in making his presence felt.  By the close of Lap 1, he had the #13 GEICO Camry in 34th, while Lap 5 saw him in 27th, quickly approaching the Top 25. 

Pacing the high-banks of Talladega Superspeedway’s 2.66-mile tri-oval is a task better tackled by two, so Mears quickly connected with Robby Gordon.  Gordon would end up being Mears’ drafting partner for the balance of the afternoon and they would spend their day slicing through the field picking up position after position.  Things would later go awry, but for most of the race it was a mutually beneficial relationship that saw the pair reach the front of the field on multiple occasions.

On Lap 27, Brian Vickers found the wall and brought out the event’s first caution flag of the day, allowing Mears to bring his #13 GEICO Camry to the attention of the Germain Racing pit crew.  After outfitting Mears with four fresh tires and a tank of Sunoco racing fuel, they returned Mears to the racing surface where he restarted in the 17th position on Lap 32.

The dynamic duo of Mears and Gordon continued to collect positions and after cracking the Top 15 on Lap 103, Mears made his appearance in the Top 5 on Lap 107.  As restrictor-plate racing goes, the #13 GEICO Camry would vacillate up and down the scoring monitor until Lap 130 saw Mears put the Gecko at the front of the field, taking the lead and collecting much needed bonus points.

The Mears-Gordon partnership proved to be productive and the pair were inside the Top 10 with just eight laps remaining in the race.  It was then that Gordon made a decision to go it alone and pulled out of line and passed Mears, causing both cars to free-fall to 23rd position with just five laps left on the docket.  Mears would re-engage Gordon and attempt to make up positions lost, but it was too late.  Despite the setback, Mears still managed to hustle the #13 GEICO Camry to a 22nd place finish at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ second restrictor-plate race of the season.  Most importantly, Mears’ finish keeps the Germain Racing team in the Top 35 in the owner point standings.

“22nd is a decent finish, but it’s frustrating knowing that we should’ve been in the Top 5,” a visibly frustrated Mears exclaimed after climbing from the #13 GEICO Camry.  “We weren’t out there just racing today, we were out there competing for the win.  We had a great car and I’m proud of this GEICO team for all of their hard work.  The pit crew did a great job today and we did all we could to make it happen.  Unfortunately, you just can’t control what other people are going to do.  But we had a really good day and it was nice to be able to take GEICO to the front of the field.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will take a weekend off before traveling to Richmond, VA, the weekend of April 30th. 

Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the 3/4-mile D-shaped oval of Richmond International Raceway for the opening practice session at 12:00 PM (EDT) on Friday, April 29th. Qualifying will follow at 5:35 PM (EDT).

The Crown Royal presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Saturday, April 30th, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 7:30 PM (EDT).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing

- PMI -

Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com

Never Give Up Philosophy of Germain Racing Has 24 Team Looking Forward to Racing at South Boston on Saturday and Raising Awareness for Red Cross Efforts in Japan

Mooresville, N.C. (04-12-2011) – Sophomore driver Zach Germain has learned since joining Germain Racing that it’s nearly impossible to find anyone in the garage, driver or crew member, who has more competitive spirit than his Germain Racing teammates. After the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener in Greenville-Pickens, Germain Racing made the handling of the No. 24 Camry a team project. The young driver knew how rich with talent Germain Racing was, but, the team’s depth of information and the drive to succeed still surprised the Columbus, OH, native.

“I am excited to get to South Boston. For the past two weeks, my team, and really everyone at Germain Racing, has just put a ton of effort into improving our No. 24 Camry. We have talked about ways to use the design of this chassis to our advantage when we get to South Boston and I think it will give us an excellent opportunity to showcase the team’s depth and to promote the ongoing efforts by the Red Cross to aid the disaster victims in Japan,” said Germain.

Germain will sport a Red Cross disaster relief message on the hood of the No. 24 Camry. This was initiated by fellow Toyota team owner Shigeaki Hattori, a former Germain Racing driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“Shige was in Japan when the earthquake hit. He was actually visiting Toyota headquarters and it was far enough away that they didn’t immediately understand the severity of the situation. Since then, we have all learned how serious the disaster is. My family has a relationship with Toyota that dates back more than 40 years, and Germain Racing has earned two championships for Toyota. It’s important for us to use our resources to promote ongoing Red Cross efforts for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami,” said Germain.

General manager Mike Hillman Sr. adds that it’s important to keep the Red Cross efforts top of mind as this disaster isn’t one that can be overcome overnight.

“It’s very easy to lose focus on the tragedy in Japan because it’s so far away and it isn’t as big of a story in the news. Conditions really are not better. It’s important for Germain Racing to help support the Toyota family and all those affected by this disaster in Japan,” said Hillman.

Hattori was in Japan for the events.

“I have seen so much of this tragedy from being there when it happened. I am fortunate my family is safe, but I really want to do what I can to coordinate with my friends in Japan to bring aid to the victims. I appreciate Zach and Germain Racing and the Toyota Racing associates here in the U.S. for helping raise awareness for what the Red Cross is doing for Japan,” said Hattori, who resides in Tokyo.

The No. 24 Camry will be on track Saturday, April 16th at South Boston Speedway. Practice begins at 12:05 PM Eastern, qualifying is at 4:30 PM with 150 laps of racing scheduled for 7:00 PM. Germain is scheduled to sign autographs for fans at 5:15 PM.

Zach Germain is on Twitter @ZachGermain and Facebook (facebook.com/pages/Zach-Germain-Racing/117537741607395). Follow Germain Racing on Twitter @GermainRacing or on the web at Germainracing.com or become a fan on Facebook: Facebook.com/pages/Germain-Racing/198863890135.

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Media Contact: Lori Smith, Germain Racing 704-651-0606 (M) or Lsmith@germain.com

PERSISTENT MEARS BOUNCES GEICO BACK INTO THE TOP 35

Fort Worth, TX (April 9, 2011) – After a heartbreaking week in Martinsville, Casey Mears and the GEICO team eagerly anticipated their weekend in Texas.  A week ago, Mears drove the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry to the front of the field before a tire issue, followed by a transmission problem, dashed the hopes of the Germain Racing team.   

In the interest of moving forward, Mears climbed into the #13 GEICO Camry in Texas on Thursday for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ opening practice session and promptly took control of the ‘go or go home’ field.  The Gecko sat 28th on the speed chart and was the fastest ‘go or go home’ car, giving the GEICO team hope as they prepared for Friday’s qualifying session.

Mears would not fail to impress and would navigate the 1.5-mile quad-oval of Texas Motor Speedway in just 28.933 seconds, at a rate of speed of 186.638 miles per hour.  Mears’ effort landed the #13 GEICO Camry 22nd on Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500 starting grid.

Amid heavy winds and 80-degree temperatures, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field took the green flag for 334 laps of racing.  Rolling off the starting grid from the 22nd position, Mears fell backwards as he began to immediately battle a loose condition. 

Mears would free-fall to 31st before the event’s first caution flag of the day was displayed on Lap 9.  After bringing the #13 GEICO Camry down pit road for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment, Mears started to head north on the scoring chart.  By Lap 57, he was riding in 26th and on the rear bumpers of Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne.  Eight laps later, Mears would pilot the #13 GEICO Camry around Kahne and Brian Vickers and move into the 24th position.

Following a scheduled green flag pit stop on Lap 95, Mears began to report a loose condition in the #13 GEICO Camry.  Casey radioed to crew chief Bootie Barker: “I’m way loose.  I’m sideways out here.  The back end is terrible.”  Barker assured his driver that the necessary adjustments would be made during the next pit stop.

The caution Mears so badly needed came out on Lap 113 when Ken Schrader cut down a tire.  Running in the 30th position, Mears brought his #13 GEICO Camry to the attention of his Germain Racing pit crew, who outfitted Mears with four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and adjustments.  

Mears had moved into 29th when he found himself narrowly avoiding peril when a Lap 215 crash involving Martin Truex, Jr., Mark Martin and Regan Smith occurred just in front of the #13 GEICO Camry.  Mears carefully maneuvered through the carnage and began his march to the Top 25. 

When the checkered flag waved under a Texas night sky, Mears had hustled to a 26th place finish.  His effort returned GEICO and the Germain Racing team to the Top 35, ensuring they will be in the field next week in Talladega.

“Of course we want to be better, but we were able to work hard tonight, get a 26th place finish and get back in the Top 35,” Mears said after climbing from his #13 GEICO Camry.  “It certainly makes a difference when you can show up each week and be guaranteed a starting spot, so obviously our top priority is being in the Top 35 and we were able to make that happen tonight.  The crew worked hard during our pit stops and we were able to be persistent and achieve our goal.”

While Mears’ weekend ended on a good note, getting back in the Top 35 was not the only exciting thing that happened.  Mears’ new GEICO commercial began airing this weekend.  The commercial features the GEICO driver as a ‘golfer’ and he appears to be ‘driving’ a golf ball during the spot. 

Mears and the GEICO team will next travel to Talladega, Alabama, for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ second restrictor-plate race of the 2011 season.

Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the 2.66-mile tri-oval of Talladega Superspeedway for the opening practice session at 2:00 PM (EDT) on Friday, April 15th.  Qualifying will follow on Saturday, April 16th at 11:35 AM (EDT).

The Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, April 17th and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 1:00 PM (EDT).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing

- PMI -

Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International
Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com

Germain Wanted Better Results at Greenville but Team is Inspired for Future

Mooresville, N.C. (04-04-2011) – When Zach Germain put his personal Toyota Camry in gear and drove toward Greenville, South Carolina, he had an idea of how he wanted the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener to go. Last year, he had a plan for the 150-lap event, and the plan worked. This year, from the first trip to Greenville to the return trip for the rain-postponed event, Germain concedes his plans seemingly had no bearing on the weekend’s outcome.

“We had a plan for this weekend, but, it didn’t work out at all. Still, for me, for my team and several of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series drivers, the visit to Shriners Hospital was the highlight. We were fortunate to have one of the children attend Greenville-Pickens Speedway to visit with us and it put things into perspective. I enjoyed seeing our new friend Andrew Gregory come out to the track. His positive outlook inspired me to take my ‘bad day at the race track’ in stride and to really look forward to racing at South Boston,” said Germain, who left Greenville with no damage to his No. 24 Camry despite the 11 caution flags that flew in the 150-lap event.

Germain explained that from practice, through qualifying, through the start of the race what he and his team learned in Greenville was to remain flexible so they can adapt to changing circumstances.

“Our car wasn’t very good in practice. My qualifying run didn’t go well and at the start of the race, the No. 24 Camry absolutely wouldn’t turn left leaving turn four. In short, that tells the story. What it doesn’t say is that Jamie Jones and the crew never gave up on me or our car. We pitted several times, including under green, to address the lack of front grip. That put us some laps down, but, we were able to make adjustments that kept us on the same pace with the race leaders for the remainder of the event. The car really got better as the race was in its last 50 laps or so,” said Germain.

Crew chief Jones says he knows his car needs to be different and better when they unload at South Boston.

“Zach did an excellent job, but, unfortunately, we needed to have our Camry better before we went to Greenville. We learned some things that we will take with us to test at South Boston. For race number two, we have to have a car that turns better for Zach,” said Jones.

Zach Germain started 27th and finished 25th in Saturday’s race. He ranks 25th in the K&N Pro Series standings after one event. His next race is April 16^th at South Boston Speedway.

Follow Zach Germain’s racing season at the team website or become a fan of Germain Racing on Facebook or @GermainRacing on Twitter.

Germain Racing will field the No. 24 Germain.com Camry for the entire K&N Pro Series East season. In addition, there is the possibility of adding West or late model races to the schedule. Sponsorship and branding opportunities are available with the No. 24 Germain.com Camry. Visit www.GermainRacing.com for more information.

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See Video Highlight from Greenville: Zach Germain and East Series Drivers Visited Shriners Hospital

http://www.wyff4.com/r-video/27326264/detail.html

MEARS’ FONTANA FINISH LOCKS GEICO IN THE TOP 35

Fontana, CA (March 27, 2011) – Casey Mears and the GEICO Racing team arrived in Southern California with Top 35 visions in their minds.  For the first time in the three-year history of the GEICO NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program, both GEICO and Germain Racing have ventured into unchartered territory where they now find themselves sitting in the Top 35 in the Owner Point standings.  Top 35 status guarantees the Germain Racing team a position in each race, providing they maintain their position. 

They would need to record a decent finish in Fontana to maintain their current status and allow the GEICO team to be locked in at Martinsville next week. 

Friday’s opening practice session in Fontana proved unspectacular, as Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry sat 37th at the close of practice.  Undaunted, Mears took to the two-mile oval for qualifying on Friday afternoon and turned heads when he paced the two-mile facility in just 39.592-seconds, at a rate of speed of 181.855 miles per hour.  Aside from securing the 25th starting position in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, Mears was the fastest ‘go or go home car’ in the qualifying session. 

Mears then tore into Fontana for final practice on Saturday and shot the #13 GEICO Camry to the top of the chart and sat 19th when the session concluded. 

Rain threatened the Fontana area on Sunday morning and drizzle plagued the area until around 10:00 AM (PT) when it finally dissipated and allowed for track drying to begin.  The racing gods would smile upon Southern California and allow for an on-time green flag at 12:16 PM (PT). 

Mears started 25th, but quickly began to battle the racecar.  By Lap 3, Mears had dropped to 27th and reported to crew chief Bootie Barker that his GEICO Camry was tight and would not turn.  He fell as low as 35th before scheduled green flag pit stops got underway and forced the #13 GEICO Camry down pit road for service on Lap 34.  The Germain Racing pit crew quickly outfitted Mears with four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and adjustments before returning him to the racing surface in the 32nd position. 

The adjustments would serve as little assistance to Mears, as just two laps later he once again radioed to Barker: “The front end just doesn’t want to work.”

Mears and Barker would win the occasional battle, but the war continued and Lap 163 found Mears still at odds with an ill-handling racecar while running in the 30th position.  As the laps wound down, Barker ordered Mears to pit road for the final pit stop of the day on Lap 185 after a caution came out for a Bobby Labonte crash.  Barker instructed the GEICO pit crew to make the necessary adjustments to give Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry a shot at a better finish.

Barker’s orders did not go unheeded and Mears restarted P32 with just nine laps remaining in the 200-lap race.  Mears and the #13 GEICO Camry made quick work of the cars of David Gilliland and Trevor Bayne in the final laps en route to a 29th place finish under gray skies and cool temperatures. 

Shortly after the checkered flag waved, Barker announced to the GEICO team that they were in the Top 35 in the 2011 Owner Standings, which means they will be locked into the race next week in Martinsville.  Barker also noted that this is the first time in GEICO’s three-year Sprint Cup Series involvement that the team would officially be ‘locked in’, a big stride for a team that three years ago did not even have a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. 

“Today was frustrating, but we kept fighting and salvaged a decent finish,” Mears said after climbing from his #13 GEICO Camry.  “The nice thing is that we were able to give GEICO the opportunity to be locked into the race next week because we have worked really hard this year and put ourselves in the Top 35.  I am proud of all of these guys on this GEICO team because regardless of what happens we keep our heads and stay focused.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will go short-track racing for the second time in three weeks when they travel to Martinsville, VA, next weekend.

Mears and the #13 GEICO Toyota Camry will hit the half-mile paper-clipped shaped oval for the opening practice session at 12:30 PM (EDT) on Friday, April 1st.  Qualifying will follow on Saturday, April 2nd, at 12:10 PM (EDT).

The Goody’s Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, April 3rd, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 1:00 PM (EDT).  The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com

You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

Please visit the Casey Mears Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/caseymearsracing

- PMI -

Contact: Doug Barnette, Player Management International

Email: dbarnette@pmifirm.com

Germain Prepared for NKNPSE Season Opener at Greenville

NASCAR Night with Charlotte Bobcats and

Shriners Hospital Visit are Highlights Leading into Race Weekend

Mooresville, N.C. (03-23-2011) – This time last year, Zach Germain was looking forward to the start of his NASCAR racing career. The Columbus, OH, native, saw the Greenville-Pickens Speedway season debut as a test on so many levels. Now he looks forward to the kick off of his sophomore season with a sense of preparation and confidence. But, he still knows he and the No. 24 Germain Racing Camry team will be tested when the green flag waves on Saturday night.

“I was able to learn a ton in the ten K&N Pro Series races last year. There certainly is a difference between going into Greenville-Pickens Speedway last year and this year. Last year, I’d never raced this car or raced the track. That said, I think Greenville is going to be an all new experience for this No. 24 Germain Racing Camry team,” said Germain.

The goals have changed for the sophomore driver, who began last season focused on finishing races. This year, he and crew chief Jamie Jones expect top-ten performances.

“Our biggest goal this year it is to become a top-ten team. If we can do that, we’ve become successful. We need to practice in the top-ten, qualify and run in the top-ten. We saw in the off-season that we can run with the best teams, and, our goal is to do that every week this year,” said crew chief Jamie Jones.

Germain tested his new No. 24 Germain Racing Camry at Greenville last week. He realized then how the work he and his team did in the off-season, and the addition of NASCAR champion David Green to the spotter’s stand, have changed his vantage point leading into Saturday’s South Carolina race.

“Before we got to Greenville for the test, I had my ideas of what I expected. I had to laugh because it was still a new experience. I didn’t remember the track surface as being that rugged and, because my laps were much more aggressive than last season, our car was pretty loose off of turns two and four,” smiled the Miami University graduate. “There was some peer pressure there with so many other K&N Pro Series teams at the track for the test session, but, over the hundreds of laps we logged, I really got to see how I’ve changed as a driver.”

Green first worked with Germain in Phoenix last year.

“David has been great at helping me become more confident and aggressive. Last year, it was all about ‘defense.’ This year, we have our cautiously aggressive team motto, and, David helps me understand the different points when I should be thinking of passes and when I should not” said Germain.

Before Germain gets to see the Greenville fans again, he’ll make a couple other appearances. Wednesday night he will sign autographs at NASCAR Night at the Charlotte Bobcats game. On Friday morning, Germain will visit Shriners Hospital for Children—aside from the waving of the green flag on Saturday night, Germain considers this stop possibly the favorite part of his race weekend.

Zach Germain is on Twitter @ZachGermain and Facebook (facebook.com/pages/Zach-Germain-Racing/117537741607395). Follow Germain Racing on Twitter @GermainRacing or on the web at Germainracing.com or become a fan on Facebook: Facebook.com/pages/Germain-Racing/198863890135.

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Media Contact: Lori Smith, Germain Racing 704-651-0606 (M) or Lsmith@germain.com

Tough Luck Strikes Casey Mears at Bristol Motor Speedway

Mechanical Failure Relegates GEICO Racing Team to 37th-Place Finish

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 21, 2011) – Coming off the first off-weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Casey Mears and the No. 13 GEICO Racing team were refreshed and ready to battle the bullring known as Bristol Motor Speedway – a short track known for bumping and banging. 

On Friday afternoon, after two solid practice sessions, Mears took to the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” for his qualifying attempt. The car of Dave Blaney, who qualified prior to Mears, blew an oil pump, causing oil fluid to cover the track. Unfortunately, Mears’ laps were hindered by this situation, relegating the GEICO Toyota Camry to the 43rd starting position for Sunday’s 500-lap race.

The green flag flew on The Jeff Byrd 500 under sunshine in the Tennessee Mountains. Mears patiently began his trek to the front of the field, understanding that to finish well, you must first finish. The first caution of the afternoon slowed the pace on lap 29 for a multi-car accident on the frontstretch. Mears did a great job of avoiding the wreck and moved into the 34th position. The California native was instructed to stay out by crew chief Bootie Barker, allowing Mears to restart from 22nd-place.

A competition caution came on lap 52 for the teams to check tire wear on their Goodyear rubber as a right-side tire change was mandated on Saturday, prior to the final practice sessions. Barker brought Mears to the attention of his GEICO crew for four tires, fuel, and adjustments as the No. 13 Toyota needed more rear grip. Restarting on lap 57 from the 27th position, Mears allowed the laps to clock off during a long caution-free run.

Mears drove his way into the top-25 as the third yellow flew on lap 130. The adjustments made during the previous pit stop helped the GEICO Camry, so Mears brought his Toyota to the attention of his crew for four tires and fuel, with no changes to the handling.

Despite holding his spot inside the top-25, problems struck Mears on lap 158, when his Toyota would shut off in the corners. Mears successfully switched batteries while continuing to make laps, but the problem was persistent forcing the team to come to the garage for repairs. After changing batteries and working on the electrical interiors, Mears returned to the track, however the issue was not fixed. The GEICO crew then changed additional mechanical parts before solving the issue.

Mears returned to track on lap 229.  Unfortunately, the tough luck cost the Germain Racing team 72 laps and placed the No. 13 in the 38th position. The team was unable to make up any spots, due to the number of laps down, until lap 410 when problems forced Dennis Setzer out of the race. The GEICO Racing team never gave up and continued to log laps and work on their Camry. Mears clocked lap times just as fast as the leaders in the final 100 laps of the race, despite damage to his machine. The checkered flag flew with Mears and the GEICO team in 37th-place.

The tremendous effort shown by the entire GEICO team allowed Mears and the No. 13 Toyota to remain inside the top-35 in the Owner Point Championship Standings, one point to the good over 36th-place owner Tommy Baldwin. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will return to the West Coast, as the fifth race of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Southern California will take place on Sunday, March 27, 2011.

-PMI-

Contact: Samantha Jones, Player Management International

Email: sjones@pmifirm.com