Casey Mears is targeting a switch to Red Bull Global Rallycross for the 2018 season, with NASCAR and off-road trucks all on the cards.
The Californian, who won the 2006 24 Hours of Daytona and the 2007 Coca-Cola 600, has been competing part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity series this year. Speaking to The Checkered Flag, Mears revealed that he is considering a move to Red Bull GRC, and is also in discussions for another part-time NASCAR deal, as well as looking at outings in Stadium Super Trucks.
“Right now I’m talking to a few NASCAR programmes to do maybe limited stuff. I don’t have anything that would be a full-time ride in a NASCAR series,” he said. “I’ve been speaking with Robby Gordon in the Stadium Super Truck programme, I think that’s a really cool up-and-coming-series and I’d definitely like to be involved with the GRC, It looks like a lot of fun. I think there’s enough difference between all those that it could leave room for doing a bit of both so we’ll see how it works out.”
Mears (#98) has raced part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year – Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images/NASCAR Media
Mears has spent 2017 racing a limited schedule for Biagi-DenBeste Racing, and has used his free-time to go back to his routes at the kart track.
“I have done some things differently,” he said of his less-intense schedule. “I went and got a shifter kart so I’ve been spending some time in that throughout the season. When I knew I was going to be out of the car for more than three or four weeks I got out to the go-kart track and pounded around in that which was fun and definitely keeps you up to speed.”
“Honestly as soon as I got [back] in the car, almost every time I felt I’d done it yesterday,” he added, insisting his time off had no ill-effects. “I think after doing it for 15 years it doesn’t go away that quickly so it’s been am interesting year as far as running part-time, having more weekends off, not being in the Cup series is definitely different, but I think the driving is a lot like a bicycle – it really doesn’t go away.”
“Obviously if you can do it more often I feel like you can stay sharper, but every time I got in the car I felt like I’d just gotten out.”
