- CARQUEST/KELLOGG’S TEAM EARNS ANOTHER TOP 10 –
MEARS CHARGES TO SEVENTH-PLACE FINISH IN FINAL 30 LAPS

TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 27, 2008) – Casey Mears and the CARQUEST/Kellogg’s team finished seventh in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The team decided to “hang back” and race conservatively throughout the majority of the race, and then make its move in the closing laps.

“It’s so hard running back there in the back all day. And I know that it’s pretty nerve-wracking for the guys,” Mears said. “But it paid off for us again. This should be a good points day for us.”

With the top-10 finish, Mears again advanced in the driver standings this week, moving to 24th. Nine races into the 2008 season, Mears is 142 points outside of the crucial 12th position, which is the final spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“Top-10 finishes are what we need,” crew chief Alan Gustafson said. “If we keep posting top-10s, the Chase is going to be right there for us. We’ll just keep chipping away at it.”

The CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet qualified 36th for the season’s second restrictor-plate race. But that starting spot didn’t bother the team, which previously had agreed on its approach to the restrictor-plate track. The team discussed different strategies for Sunday’s race, but opted to run conservatively because of past success. Mears employed the same strategy last October at Talladega, and he secured a sixth-place finish.

Following the team’s first pit stop on Lap 21, Mears rejoined the field in 28th place. The 43-car field separated into three distinct groups on the track, with Mears at the tail of the second pack. Several laps later, he joined the third group and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson.

The race continued caution-free, and teams were forced to make green-flag pit stops. Mears entered pit road on Lap 64 for right-side tires only and fuel. When he returned to the track, Mears was running at the tail of the lead pack. With no help from behind, however, Mears lost the draft. But 30 laps later, he picked up help and raced single-file with the third pack in hopes of catching the leaders.

A much-needed caution occurred on Lap 116 when the No. 99 made contact with the outside retaining wall. Mears made his fourth pit stop, this time for four tires. As the caution stretched on, Gustafson called Mears back onto pit road to “top-off” on fuel. Mears rejoined the field in 28th place, again with teammate Johnson close by.

Following the team’s fifth and final pit stop on Lap 144, the No. 5 team topped-off on fuel, just in case the race would come down to fuel mileage.

With 30 laps to go, Johnson had his team communicate with the CARQUEST/Kellogg’s team that he was ready to make a move toward the front. But a series of cautions stunted the duo’s charge.

When the race once again went green for several laps, Mears began moving through the field. On Lap 170, he teamed up with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. to move inside the top 20. Three laps later, however, a multi-car accident occurred, and Mears narrowly missed the melee.

The race resumed with 10 laps to go and Mears in 16th place. Another caution on Lap 180 set up a five-lap dash to the finish. The field bunched up, catching Mears in the middle of a three-wide battle with no help from behind. The position moved the No. 5 Chevy back to 24th with only three laps to go. Mears moved to the bottom line and charged to the front, gaining seven positions in the next lap.

On the final lap of the race, Mears continued to move forward, breaking into the top 10 for the first time in the race. Behind him, the “big one” occurred, causing the race to end under yellow-flag conditions. Mears crossed the line in a race-high seventh-place and was the top finisher for Hendrick Motorsports.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this Saturday, May 3. The race will air live on FOX at 7 p.m., ET.