Hendrick Motorsports made it official by announcing that driver Casey Mears would leave the team at the end of the 2008 Sprint Cup season.
“None of us, Casey included, have been satisfied with the situation this season,” team owner Rick Hendrick said. “We’ve put a ton of emphasis on the No. 5 program. It’s been a total team effort, and Casey has worked as hard as anyone to help us improve. But the results just haven’t come.”
Mears, 30, joined Rick Hendrick’s four-car team in 2007 as the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, replacing Brian Vickers.
“I know the effort has been there, but we haven’t had the finishes to show for it,” Mears said. “I’ve never tested this much or put more energy into racing. But for whatever reason, we just haven’t been able to make it click. It’s certainly not for lack of dedication on anyone’s part.”
Casey Mears and Mark Martin look to be on the move, and their futures might be linked.
Martin would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. He would replace Mears, making one last full-time run at a championship.
John Story, the vice president of motorsports at DEI, said there are plans to put Aric Almirola into a full-time ride next season. Almirola currently is splitting the No. 8 with the 49-year-old Martin. He indicated the full-time ride would be in the No. 8.
“He’s been very good to us and very helpful, and good to our other drivers, so we’re working through what’s best for Mark, for Aric and for DEI,” Story said. “We have five guys we’d like to run full time, and Mark doesn’t want to run a full-time schedule.
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