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First Time Around: Casey Mears will make his first career NASCAR Busch Series start for his new sponsor, the National Guard, this Saturday at Daytona (Fla. ) International Speedway. It will also mark the first-ever Hendrick Motorsports start for Mears, who is scheduled to race 22 Busch Series events this season.
Honoring The Guard: The 53rd Infantry Brigade, affectionately known as the “Gator Brigade, “ will be honored on the hood of the No. 24 National Guard Chevrolet this week. The Gator Brigade is the largest National Guard unit in the state of Florida. Two infantry battalions from this brigade served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and were some of the first National Guard soldiers in Iraq during the initiative.
Mears At Daytona: Saturday’s Busch Series race at Daytona will be Mears’ first since the 2004 season, when he posted his career-best finish at the track, seventh. In 2002, Mears posted 23rd-place and 16th-place finishes at the historic superspeedway.
Chassis 279: Crew chief Chad Walter has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 279 as the primary option for Saturday’s Busch Series event at Daytona. In 2006, the car posted finishes of second and fourth at Daytona and Talladega, Ala., respectively.
Casey Mears, driver of the no. 24 National Guard Chevrolet: (On representing The Army National Guard. ) “It’s definitely an honor to represent the men and women serving as members of the National Guard. They give the ultimate sacrifice without thinking twice. I want to make them proud, and I think the best way to do that is to give my best every time I get in our race car. Giving them a victory early on in this season would be a good start. “
Mears: (On racing for Hendrick Motorsports. ) “I feel a lot of excitement thinking about racing for Hendrick Motorsports. There are just so many good things about this organization. The pressure is always there to do well in this sport, and it’s just a really good feeling that I know I’m with a good organization that’s capable of winning week in and week out. “
Mears: (You’re adjusting to two new Hendrick Motorsports Teams at the same time. How is that going? ) “Working with Darian (Grubb) on the Cup side has been really good so far. As of right now, there is no indication that we have a whole lot to work on. I’m telling him what I need and he’s going right to work on it. So far, things are going well. He’s doing a good job. Chad (Walter) and I have had a few test sessions to get to know each other, but no real track time like Darian and I have had this week. We’re working on our communication skills with each other. The entire No. 24 National Guard team is a great group of guys and I really look forward to getting to know them better and hopefully getting to victory lane with them this year. “
Chad Walter, Crew Chief Of The No. 24 National Guard Chevrolet: (What is it like to represent The Army National Guard each race? ) “Personally, I’m very grateful and thank my stars that I work at a place like Hendrick Motorsports. In the same sense, I’m extremely proud to represent the National Guard. For me, long story short, I had to leave the Marines ROTC because of injuries I sustained in college football. I never had a chance to represent my country. My brother was a sniper in the Army. My two sisters were in the Air Force. It kind of feels like a mission unaccomplished. I feel very fortunate to represent the armed forces. “
Walter: (You’re working with a new driver who is adjusting to an entirely new team. Is the relationship going well? ) “I can only speak for the team, and the adjustment for us to a new driver has gone quite well. We haven’t been able to spend a lot of time together, but the time we have spent has been good. During Daytona, we don’t get a lot of feedback, because, quite frankly, there’s not a lot a driver can say about a car at restrictor-plate tracks. The two days in Vegas were the real learning days. It took about a day for us to get accustomed to each other’s lingo and communication skills. I think we’ll be fine. It may take us a few races to get used to each other, but baptism by fire isn’t always bad. “
