LOUDON, N.H. -- The alligator gave it away.

He didn't walk in wearing a firesuit cluttered with corporate logos, or a golf shirt with the primary sponsor's insignia knitted over the left breast. Casey Mears entered the media center at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday wearing a simple blue Lacoste polo, bearing only the shirt maker's tiny reptilian emblem. There was no clearer sign that the winner of last year's Coca-Cola 600 was now a driver without a home (watch video).

Hendrick Motorsports announced that Mears would not be returning to its No. 5 car next season, a de facto dismissal that becomes the first domino to topple in what is sure to be a long line of them before this season is over. Mears is only the beginning -- there's still a fourth driver to be named at Richard Childress Racing, a decision by Tony Stewart and possible ensuing vacancy at Joe Gibbs Racing, as well as potential new homes for Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. and the openings at Penske Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. that they might leave behind.

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At the end of the day, this is a performance-based sport. You have to put the numbers on the board ... and unfortunately for a few different reasons, we just haven't been able to do that this season.

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CASEY MEARS

And the opening salvo is Hendrick's decision to cut ties with Mears, a move that places an enormously sponsor- and fan-friendly driver on the market, and opens a seat with one of NASCAR's top teams. Despite his victory last May, Mears could never find the level of performance that his Hendrick teammates enjoyed. He finished 15th in points last year with Hendrick's No. 25 team -- now Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 -- and was 24th in his No. 5 car coming to New Hampshire.

"We've put a ton of emphasis on the No. 5 program," team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. "It's been a total team effort, and Casey has worked as hard as anyone to help us improve. We've tested more than we ever have, but the results just haven't come. None of us, Casey included, have been satisfied with the situation this season. But he's confident there are other options out there for him in 2009, and we feel like Hendrick Motorsports will have some opportunities, too."

Mears seemed to understand that the production -- a season-best fifth-place finish last week at Sonoma not withstanding -- just wasn't there.

"At the end of the day, this is a performance-based sport," he said. "My uncle [four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Rick Mears] has always said, you have to put the numbers on the board, and that's how you keep your job and keep your ride. Unfortunately, for a few different reasons, we just haven't been able to do that this season."

Now Mears is destined for his fifth program in as many years, following the Nos. 41 and 42 with Chip Ganassi Racing and the Nos. 25 and 5 at Hendrick. He's had five different crew chiefs during that span, with Lance McGrew replaced prior to last year's Daytona 500 with Darian Grubb. All that change has taken its toll -- Mears said he struggled to communicate with crew chief Alan Gustafson early this season, and piled bad runs on top of bad luck.

"Last year, we had gained some momentum. We won a race, I think Darian and I were starting to get on the same page," Mears said. "Now you move into the 5 car, and we've got to learn a new crew chief-driver scenario on top of learning a new car. I think that threw us for a loop a little bit, and obviously that's one reason why we didn't have the performances we wanted to have."

But Mears had too much working against him. It didn't help that, other than the driver, the No. 5 team remained exactly the same unit that finished fourth in points last season with Kyle Busch. It didn't help that Earnhardt found such quick success with what had been Mears' old team last year. Primary sponsor Kellogg's, which is contracted with Hendrick through at least next year, was used to winning. And at Hendrick, the bar is always high -- make the Chase and contend for championships, something Mears was unable to do. Hendrick made the call in a meeting with Mears following the June 15 event at Michigan. (Continued)