Germain Racing will use the Feb. 17 Daytona 500 to field a second car for the first time since 2011 and it will be piloted by former full-time driver Casey Mears.
Mears, who raced for Germain from 2010-16 in Cup, will drive the No. 27 Chevrolet. The team will be built and staffed through a partnership with Premium Motorsports. Pat Tryson will serve as crew chief.
Mears will be teammates with Ty Dillon, the current driver of Germain’s No. 13 Chevrolet.
“I have considered running a second car in the Daytona 500 for years,” owner Bob Germain said in a press release. “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.
“The Daytona 500 is a race that our team, sponsors and fans are all passionate about, and I am too. In a race where anything can happen, having a second entry is an exciting opportunity. Casey has been a part of our Germain Racing family for years, and I’m grateful that he’s willing to get behind the wheel for me again in this one race.”
Without a charter for the car, Mears is not guaranteed starting spot in the race.
Mears didn’t make any NASCAR starts in 2018.
He last competed in the 2017 Xfinity season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway for Biagi-DenBeste Racing.
Mears has 25 career Cup starts at Daytona International Speedway, with a best finish of second in the 2006 Daytona 500.
The addition of Mears makes for at least eight unchartered cars that could be entered into the Daytona 500.
With a maximum field of 40 cars, four will not make the field.
The uncharted cars include:
Mears
Tyler Reddick (No. 31 for Richard Childress Racing)
Ryan Truex (No. 71 for Tommy Baldwin Racing)
Joey Gase (No. 66 for MBM Motorsports)
Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 for Beard Motorsports)
Tanner Berryhill (No. 97 for Obaika Racing)
Parker Kligerman (No. 96 for Gaunt Brothers Racing)
JJ Yeley (No. 7 for NY Racing).
