Casey Mears makes milestone 500th NASCAR Cup start he never meant to reach
Between Feb. 16, 2003 and Nov. 8, 2026, Casey Mears made 500 NASCAR Cup starts, and in doing so, becomes just the 50th driver in NASCAR Cup history to reach 500 starts. “I just feel really appreciative of the opportunity,” said Mears going into the race weekend. “I’d say it’s pretty rare that somebody gets to be out of the sport for that long and then comes back and participates ... Keep reading
Casey Mears made his 500th NASCAR Cup start in 2026, a milestone he never intended to reach. After initially planning to pursue open-wheel racing, he ended up dedicating 23 years of his career to NASCAR. Mears became the 50th driver in NASCAR Cup history to achieve this feat. He expressed his appreciation for the opportunity, noting it's rare for a driver to return to the sport after extended absences.
Over his career, Mears has raced in all but one of the NASCAR Cup Series seasons between 2003 and 2016, including 608 starts across all three national divisions. His most significant win came in the 2007 Coca-Cola 600, a victory fueled by a fuel-mileage gamble. Mears is currently driving for Beard Motorsports, with a goal of finishing inside the top-25 in his 500th Cup start.
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