- CARQUEST/KELLOGG’S CHEVROLET FINISHES SEVENTH -

CASEY MEARS LEADS 53 LAPS IN RAIN-SHORTENED RACE

LOUDON, N.H. (June 29, 2008) – Casey Mears and the CARQUEST/Kellogg’s team earned their second consecutive top-10 finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Mears led 53 laps en route to a seventh-place finish when the race was red-flagged for rain. The event eventually was canceled with 17 laps remaining.

"We had a really good car and it showed when we got the track position,” Mears said. “I'm just real proud of everybody on this CARQUEST/Kellogg’s team. We got out of pit sequence there at the end, but that was the plan and it ended up working for us. We had a top-five car and ended up seventh. But it’s a good day for us.”

Mears started the race in 24th place and began to slowly work his way through the field. The race continued caution-free, forcing the teams to begin green-flag pit stops on Lap 62. Considering fuel mileage, crew chief Alan Gustafson waited until Lap 71 to call Mears onto pit road.

Mears was extremely happy with the handling of the CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet, mentioning only a slight tight-handling condition through the center of the turns. With a small air pressure adjustment, four fresh tires and fuel, the CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet rejoined the field in 22nd place after its first stop.

Just 16 laps later, the first caution of the race occurred. Gustafson and Mears discussed pit strategy on the radio, deciding to pit only if less than five other cars pitted. Mears watched the entire field ahead of him enter pit road, so he remained on the track and took over the lead. Only one other car, the No. 83, stayed on the track, inheriting second place behind Mears.

With older tires, Mears managed to hold off the competition behind him and extend his lead. Just as the No. 20 passed the No. 83 for the second position, Mears entered lapped traffic. His lead was cut down from two seconds to .8 seconds at one time, but he again pulled away from his competitors.

Ten laps away from the team’s second green-flag pit stop, the caution flag waved again. Mears reported to Gustafson that the Chevrolet was nearly perfect. He did not want any adjustments made to the car. With four tires and fuel, Mears quickly exited his pit stall, but the No. 20 beat him to the line by a foot.

On the restart, Mears quickly cleared the lapped cars and began fending off his teammate Jeff Gordon. He was able to hold off the No. 24 Chevy for nearly three laps before succumbing. Ten laps later, the caution flag waved again, and this time the field remained on the track. Mears continued to race in the third position throughout the long 49-lap green-flag run.

When the caution flag waved on Lap 204, Mears entered pit road for his third stop. The CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet’s tight-handling condition returned, prompting the team to make the same small air pressure adjustment that it had during its first pit stop. Mears resumed the race in fourth place.

Throughout the race, Gustafson encouraged Mears to conserve as much fuel as possible. With less than 100 laps remaining, Gustafson again reminded Mears the importance of saving fuel. If the cautions were timed well, the team could finish the race on just one more stop.

The opportunity came sooner than expected.

Eight laps after the restart, the caution flag waved for a spinning No. 8 in Turn 2. Gustafson made a gutsy call, and Mears made a fuel-only pit stop.

The fuel strategy dropped Mears to 18th place—the farthest back he had been since Lap 87. The air pressure adjustment from the stop before, combined with the slick conditions of the hot race track, made the CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet loose. On top of that, the suddenly dark sky threatened rain showers at any moment.

As the team paid close attention to the radar and waited for the competition ahead of them to make their pit stops for fuel, Mears fell to 25th place. Fearing that the rain would fall before the other teams would be forced to stop for fuel, the crew members anxiously watched the laps go by.

Relief came on Lap 281, when the caution flag waved for a three-car accident. The leaders entered pit road for fuel, while Mears and the others that pitted during the last caution, remained on the track. The strategy moved Mears into seventh place.

With lightning bolts flashing, the field took the green flag once again on Lap 279. Mears held onto his top-10 position throughout two laps before the seventh caution of the day occurred. The initial sprinkles prompted the yellow flag, but the ensuing heavy rain drops convinced NASCAR officials to stop the race. Twenty minutes later, the race was declared complete. Mears and his team had earned their fourth top-10 finish of the season.

Mears advanced one position in the Sprint Cup Series driver standings to 23rd.

The Kellogg’s/CARQUEST team next will compete at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Saturday. The race will air live on TNT at 6:30 p.m. ET.