NASCAR veteran signs with new team in bid for 500 Cup Series starts

NASCAR veteran Casey Mears has agreed a deal which could see him reach 500 Cup Series starts this year.

Mears is currently sat on 495 starts after this year's Daytona 500, and has now signed a deal with Beard Motorsports for a five-race run to take him to the milestone.

The first race of the partnership will come at Talladega this month before the Brickyard 400 on July 26, the summer race at Daytona, the fall race at Talladega and the season finale at Homestead-Miami.

With no charter for the team, however, it's theoretically possible that Mears is kept from starting a race if more than 40 cars enter, forcing him to qualify in as an open entry. While none of the five races in question were oversubscribed in 2025, two of them were right on the edge at exactly 40 entries.

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Mears set to challenge for 500

The team's executive vice president Amie Beard-Deja said in a statement: “We’re thrilled with the opportunity to partner with Casey Mears for these five races in 2026.

"It has been well documented that Beard Motorsports is a passion project for my family and we’ve been committed to carrying on what my dad started. To take the No. 62 Chevrolet to new venues is beyond anything we could’ve imagined when we started in 2017.

“After hearing about Casey’s desire to get to his 500th Cup Series start, we started talking. His experience in the NASCAR Cup Series and at the tracks we’ll visit with him this year makes us very excited for the rest of the season.”

Mears himself added: “Partnering with Beard Motorsports, a team founded by the late Mark Beard Sr., and operated by his wife and daughter, means a lot to me. We have a feel-good story that connects with race fans.

“One thing I’ve learned during the last year is how much I still love racing and competing. I’m incredibly appreciative of Bob Germain and his continued support as I close in on 500 Cup starts. His generosity is moving and I’m thankful for his friendship.

“I’ve watched Beard Motorsports race over the years, and it’s a team that doesn’t just show up for superspeedway races – they make races and are competitive. As a racer, that’s really appealing."