Fourteen years ago, journeyman racer Casey Mears broke through to win his first-ever Cup Series race in the 2007 running of the Coca-Cola 600. When reached for comment, Mears admitted that he had forgotten that he ever won the race.
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| Mears in Victory Lane, of which he seems to only have faint memories |
“Really? I won the 600? Huh…you know what, I think you’re right”, Mears said when reached at his North Carolina home. “No, wait, that can’t be right—I know I won a Cup race, but I think it was at some other track like Kansas or Chicagoland, right?”
The 2007 Memorial Day Weekend race—which multiple sources confirm was won by Mears driving for Hendrick Motorsports—was the lone Cup Series win for Mears, which one would think would make it even more memorable for the since-retired driver.
“So what you’re saying is that I won one of the ‘Crown Jewel’ races? I mean, I know I won once, but I really think—and don’t take this the wrong way—that you’re confusing me with someone else. I could’ve sworn my win came in some kind of ‘400’ race.”
Mears began to relent once details of the race were relayed to him.
“Oh, right”, Mears said while looking off into the distance after being told that he won on fuel mileage. “I think I remember it now—we beat the 18 car, I think (note: Mears did indeed beat runner-up JJ Yeley in the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing car). Jeez—you’d think I’d remember that better, especially since I’m usually pretty sharp on stuff like that. Kinda weird, huh?”
Mears then admitted that he’d won the 2007 iteration of the World 600, then went into great detail about his four straight DNQ’s in 2010 for Keyed-Up Motorsports, calling it “the dumbed-named race team I ever race for.”