HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18:  Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, talks to Casey Mears, driver of the #13 GEICO Chevrolet, in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2016 in Homestead, Florida.  (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) | Getty Images
HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, talks to Casey Mears, driver of the #13 GEICO Chevrolet, in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Casey Mears says he’d like to run select races to hit 500 career starts

Casey Mears, now a resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, has been a long-time friend of  (Jimmie) Johnson’s. With the seven-time champion now being a co-owner of Legacy M.C. and only competing in five races this upcoming season, speculation began to swirl about the potential of Mears joining the newly-branded Chevrolet organization.

“I was looking at stats a little while ago and I never really realized where I was as far as starts go,” Mears said. “I’m 11 away from 500. I would love to figure out how to put an 11-race schedule together with somebody just to cap it off.”

Kickin The Tires