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.

"Because we have good relationships there at Hendrick Motorsports, I think Rick and everybody wanted to see a multiple-year deal and see me get some consistency," Mears said. "I think people made decisions because they had to make decisions. I don't know why everything's gone down. That would probably be a better question for Rick and some of the guys with the team. He understands my situation more than anybody, and getting some stability would be good. But obviously decisions were made for certain reasons."

It won't be an easy parting. Mears has close relationships with many members of the Hendrick fold. He and two-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson have been friends since the days when they both raced on dirt. Mears spent a few days earlier this week with Johnson on vacation in Aspen, Colo.

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It hurts me as a friend and a teammate that this is taking place. The release has been out, the decision has been made. At this point, I wish Casey the best. I'll do anything and everything I can to help him and his team finish this year on a positive note.

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JIMMIE JOHNSON

"I feel really bad for Casey and the 5 team. There has not been a lack of effort to get that working right," Johnson said. "A situation has developed that Casey is going to move on. It hurts me as a friend and a teammate that this is taking place. I know it's the same with the company and Rick, but it's kind of the way it is. The release has been out, the decision has been made. At this point, I wish Casey the best. I'll do anything and everything I can to help him and his team finish this year on a positive note."

So what comes next? Despite some reports that the team might split the No. 5 car between veteran Mark Martin and Nationwide Series driver Brad Keselowski next year, indications are that Hendrick doesn't want to field a car with no chance of contending for the championship. Whoever lands in that ride will likely be in it full time. As for Mears, his name has been connected to the fourth car that will debut at Richard Childress Racing next season.

"They're a great organization, obviously, and if that were an opportunity, that would be great," Mears said. "Right now, I'm just trying to put the feelers out to everybody, and just trying to see what exactly is out there and what the opportunities are. So far I've seen some really good opportunities."

Whomever RCR hires, Jeff Burton believes he needs to fit with the company's three current drivers. "I think we have to have a guy that we can work with, and by the way, he has to be able to work with us. We're going to have to bend some. Things are going to be different. We're going to have to learn how to work with another driver. It's hard," he said.

"You get two drivers working together, that's hard. You get three drivers working together, that's harder yet. We're going to have to work hard at it. It's not going to come naturally. But every one of our drivers supports the fourth team, so naturally every one of our drivers will support the fourth team's driver. But that guy's going to have to come in with an open mind."

Right now, there's no shortage of possibilities. The Sprint Cup garage has been awash in speculation about pending driver moves, with Newman and Truex in the final years of their respective contracts, Childress needing another driver, Mark Martin's future uncertain and Stewart reportedly ready to bolt Joe Gibbs Racing for an ownership share in Hendrick-aided Haas CNC. Friday, there was only one certainty -- that Greg Biffle will stay with Roush Fenway Racing. As expected, the driver signed an extension to pilot his 3M-backed No. 16 car for three more years.

"I weighed certainly all of my options out, and it felt like the 16 car is where I really wanted to spend my next three years driving," he said. " A lot of things went into making a decision on where I was going to be. One was Ford's commitment to the racing program and supporting us technologically, and Roush Fenway's commitment to put [general manager] Robbie Reiser in the position that they did. I just feel like we're making all the right decisions at our company right now to win championships and races, and I like all the guys on the 16 team. We've developed a pretty good relationship (read more)."