Mears backing up win with strong late-season run (cont'd)

Mears had the 600 trophy displayed on the breakfast table of his Mooresville, N.C., home, but moved it to his bedroom after his cleaning lady expressed concerns that someone would see it through the window and try to steal it. He still hasn't watched a complete replay of the race, catching only the occasional highlight on television. He probably doesn't need to. The significance of that night, for himself as well as his family, is burned into his memory. His uncle Rick may have won the Indianapolis 500 four times, but his father never quite found the right opportunity. They both celebrated the fact that Casey had.

"Dad, when he got to Indy cars, never had a chance to prove what he could do," Mears said. "One time he got into one of Rick's backup cars at Indy and was flying. It was like, if he ever got that opportunity. At times I think it was frustrating for him, because he never got that shot. To be able to see me now get a shot with one of the best teams out there, and to be able to share it with my parents and the whole family was huge."

Hendrick teammate Johnson, a friend of Mears' since their old off-road days, understands that significance. A photo of Mears celebrating in Charlotte's Victory Lane hangs in Johnson's motor home.

"I've just known him for so long, and know how much it meant for him to win at the Nextel Cup level," Johnson said. "I think the progress that he has made as a driver, that the team has made, the way that they've been growing together ... it's sad to see them not be together next year, but I think they're really getting on to the type of performances and finishes we're going to be familiar with seeing out of Casey Mears and what he does. He's doing a great job, great feedback, learning the system at Hendrick. Every place is different and he's really adapted well and getting the results."

But just as his team is coalescing, Mears has to prepare for it to be broken up. Mears will move next year to Hendrick's No. 5 team, with his No. 25 group becoming the No. 88 team of new teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. Although the two teams will be housed in the same building on the Hendrick campus, Mears will have to adjust to new crewmen and a new crew chief in Alan Gustafson. Grubb will move into a senior leadership position, coordinating the engineering efforts of Mears and Earnhardt.

"Hopefully, we'll carry this momentum through the end of the year," Mears said, "and take what we've learned this year and try to transfer that over to the 5 effort for next year."