Mears Wins Coca-Cola 600
Rick Hendrick is a team player who likes to make sure that when he makes a decision everyone in his crew is on the same page with him. That is why making the decision to hire Mears as a driver was not done lightly. And Mears proced his worth to the whole team by staying in the top five, even after he was penalized for a pit road penalty.
Mears and crew chief Darian Grubb decided to take a chance, staying out at the end despite Grubb’s calculations that the No. 25 National Guard car was half a lap short. Tony Stewart looked like he was on his way to winning his first 600 but wound up 6th when the race came down to strategy. Grubb was able to sit on the stove and sweat ice water, making a call that his Hendrick teammates, crew chief Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson, chose not to do.
Yet, in the end it was Mears who was holding the trophy for the win. Mears took control over the race when Johnson, who was in the lead at the time, took his last pit road at the end of the race. Mears has given Hendrick Motorsports their fifth consecutive win and ninth in twelve races this season. “We’re going to try to work a little bit of pit strategy and maybe try to help (Mears) out,” Grubb told Steve Byrnes before his team’s last pit stop under the 13th and final caution. “We haven’t had the year we’ve been looking for. This is a good, strong showing for our team on Memorial Day weekend. I’m just really proud to be up there, and we want to finish where we’re running.”
Grubbs, who already has a Daytona 500 win under his belt, is excited to add the Coca-Cola 600 to his list. Mears joins four former Cup champions who won their first career race in the 600, David Pearson in 1961, Jeff Gordon in 1994, Bobby Labonte in 1995 and Matt Kenseth in 2000. He has now won two major endurance races in his career. In addition to the 600, he won last year’s 24 Hours at Daytona.
This No. 25 teamn hasn’t quite made it to the points chase system at this time, but if they keep up the winning they may have a chance. Yet, even if they are unable to make it the the Nextel Cup they can have the satisfaction of having a good year.