No picture-perfect ending for Mears in Chicagoland

JOLIET, Ill. (July 13, 2003) --- The Chicagoland Speedway race weekend was a roller coaster ride for Casey Mears that ended without a photo finish.  Rookie driver Casey Mears drove a Fujifilm Dodge in the Busch Series race and the Winston Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend.  

Friday, Mears had two of his career best qualifying runs in a stock car.  Mears qualified on the pole in his Fujifilm Busch car and he qualified fourth in his Fujifilm Winston Cup car.  Saturday, Mears competed in the Busch Series race and came home with a fourth place finish.

Sunday's Winston Cup race did not finish quite the same way.  After having a strong car at the start of the race and racing competitively in the top-20, Mears spun out and hit the wall on lap 235.  The accident ended his day early and gave the team a 34th place finish in the Tropicana 400.

"I don't know if something broke or the right rear tire blew," Mears said after coming out of the infield care center.  "As soon as I turned into the corner it just went backwards and into the wall hard.  It's really, really a shame.  We've had tough races all year long and finally we were having the best race all year and had a really good car.  We were in contention to run up front.  

"I want to thank Fujifilm and Target and everybody that stood behind me and Chip Ganassi Racing.  It's been really good and we're getting better all the time.  This is a good weekend and it proves it but we just couldn't bring it home.  It's too bad."  

Team Target races at New Hampshire International Speedway next weekend.  The New England 300 will be broadcast live on TNT television and MRN radio on Sunday, July 20th.