Casey Mears sees a bright future in the No. 42 Dodge. Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Mears eager to build off late 2005 resurgence

New driver of the No. 42 Dodge eyes first victory, Chase appearance

The closing races of the 2005 season gave Casey Mears a lot of reasons to be happy -- and upset.

	Casey Mears got acquainted with his new digs at Preseason Thunder. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images
	Inside the Numbers Casey Mears in 2005 Wins 0 Top-5s 3 Top-10s 9 DNFs 3 Poles 0 Laps Led 145 Avg. Start 24.0 Avg. Finish 21.4 Earnings $4,154,801 SUPERSTORE •   Get Casey Mears gear!

After a rather uninspiring season to that point, Mears reeled off five top-10s in the final nine races and was in contention for his first career victory both at Texas and Homestead. But a couple of late caution flags in both races thwarted his efforts.

Mears finished a season-best fourth at Texas for the second time that year after a late caution and was fifth in the season finale at Homestead when a controversial caution for debris was waved. Mears was leading the race with 15 laps to go at the time.

"I'm not over it," said a blunt Mears of both flags. "Obviously we'd like to have those back. We had some really fast cars at the end of the year last season. We didn't get a chance to capitalize on it, and it was very frustrating."

Mears thought his best chance at victory came at Texas, and left the legitimacy of the cautions up to the imagination.

"The second Texas [race] we were flying," he said. "When we got going we were half-a-second faster than second place. We'd come back and pass everybody and drive up to the front.

"Rarely do these races end with a long run. Whether there's a late caution for an accident or if it just needs to be an exciting race ..."

So Mears goes into his fourth Cup season with 108 races to his credit but zero wins.

"It's been three years ... and those three years were horrendous and hard on everybody. We sat on some poles the second year and showed some improvement, but we never got a lot out of it," Mears said.

ACCELERATION 2006 There's more to the new season than just driver changes. Read more about what to watch for as we rev toward Daytona.  •   Testing archive,  click here •   Complete coverage, click here Looking aheadCasey Mears thinks his team is ready for the Daytona 500 Making a moveCasey Mears has confidence heading into the new season Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836 ARCHIVE •   2006 Driver Previews

"We thought we were going to break out last year and do well. The potential was there all year long, but the first half of the year something would happen. I've had good luck and bad luck, but that was all bad luck."

Through the first 17 races of the season Mears recorded but two top-10s, and 10 times he finished outside the top 20.

"Then we put together a good string of races to end the year and finished the way we should have finished the first half of the season," Mears added. "We got really close, but it was really disappointing that we didn't close the deal."

Mears finished the season 22nd in points in Chip Ganassi's No. 41 Dodge. In 2006 he switches to the No. 42 that Jamie McMurray drove to 12th place in the standings.

"I'm ... excited. It's cool to have change," said Mears, who will be working with crew chief Donnie Wingo. "We had a test at Nashville with Donnie and these guys and ran faster than we ever have there. I feel pretty good about it.

"I tested with Donnie my first year at Watkins Glen and came back and ran pretty fast. This last year we tested at Martinsville and did well. Then at Nashville, so the three times we've tested together we've been fast.

"Right out of the gate I tell him what I want and the changes he makes are in the right direction."

And for Mears, that direction is toward the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

"I won't be satisfied if we just win one race. When it comes to that 26th race, we want to be in the top 10 and be able to fight for the championship," he said. "I think now my experience level is there. The team has good cars and good equipment. We've proven we can run up front. We've just got to do it week in and week out."