#41 Cup driver Casey Mears began his long weekend at Pocono Raceway with a victory Friday in an ARCA series race. Earlier in the day, Mears qualified his Winston Cup car in 10th position for Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500. He also will drive Saturday in another ARCA event [he starts 2nd]. The one ran Friday was postponed from last month.( ThatsRacin.com/AP ) UPDATE: Giant Foodstores, the sponsor of the ARCA 200 race on Friday night, posted a $25,000 bonus for a driver who could sweep the Friday race, postponed from June, and the ARCA Pennsylvania 200, to start 1:00pm/et today [actually it is $12,500 for the drive and $12,500 donated to the Children’s Miracle Network]. Kyle Busch is on the pole. Busch and Christian Fittipaldi are favorites today but were not in the Friday field. With pole-sitter Casey Mears winning the Giant 200, outrunning runnerup Frank Kimmel to the finish, the Winston Cup rookie, who qualified 10th for the Pennsylvania 500, can pocket the cash with a win today.( Express Times ) UPDATE 2 – Mears Sweeps ARCA at Pocono: Casey Mears made it two victories in two days at Pocono Raceway on Saturday, winning the back end of an ARCA series doubleheader at the 2.5-mile track. Mears had started from the pole and led virtually all the way in Friday’s race, which had been rained out in June. For Saturday’s race, he qualified second but had to start at the rear of the field after an engine change. He held off David Reutimann over the final laps to complete the sweep. ARCA points leader Frank Kimmel was third. “It’s awesome,” said Mears, who earned a $12,500 bonus from a chain of food stores for winning both races over the weekend. “We did this to gain experience and I’ve gained a ton. Hopefully, a lot of it will apply to tomorrow.” Mears will start 10th in Sunday’s Winston Cup Pennsylvania 500. Busch started from the pole Saturday and ran strong throughout the race until, with 24 laps to go, he was involved in a crash on the frontstretch. Busch, coming back through the field after a pit stop, went to the inside to make a pass when Ron Cox dove to block him. Their cars eventually made contact, sending Busch spinning and knocking him out of the race.( ThatsRacin.com )(7-26-2003)
