Having a friend in the hospital certainly isn’t the way Casey Mears wanted to get a break, but he’s going to do everything he can to make the best of the situation.
The NASCAR veteran will race the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota in Sunday's Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway, replacing Brian Vickers, who was admitted to the hospital this week with blood clots in his legs and lungs.
“Obviously not the circumstances in which I want to get an opportunity, especially with Brian being such a good friend, but at the same time it is a good opportunity to show the guys what I can do,” Mears said.
“Any time you can get in a good car, good equipment, especially in the scenario I am in right now, is a relief.”
Vickers called Mears late Wednesday night to let him know that he might be needed to step in at Dover. The team made it official on Thursday.
It’s the second time Mears has been asked to be available to play stand-in this season after agreeing to sub Denny Hamlin at Phoenix and Texas if needed after the Toyota driver had surgery on a left knee ligament. Hamlin raced to the finish both times, however, leaving Mears on the sidelines.
"All the guys are obviously wishing Brian the best." –Ryan Pemberton
Mears has made two starts in the Sprint Cup this year, one with Keyed-Up Motorsports in Bristol where he finished 30th, and at Richmond with Tommy Baldwin Racing where he crossed the line 26th. He failed to qualify in four other attempts to make the Sprint Cup field.
Last year, Mears raced for Richard Childress Racing and finished a respectable 21st overall, but became a free agent when the team closed due to a loss of sponsorship.
It’s hard to say how long Mears will be in the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, but it’s certainly possible that he will be in the car for the next few weeks as doctors assess Vickers’ condition. With potentially dangerous blood clots, doctors will likely err on the side of caution when recommending Vickers’ return to racing.
That’s not something the team is thinking about going into Dover though, with the immediate goal being to get through the weekend before re-evaluating things on Monday. “Casey has agreed to do it as long as we need him to do it or as long as we want him to do it,” said Team Red Bull vice-president Jay Frye. “We’ll know more next week.”
Meanwhile, the team spent most of Thursday and Friday adjusting the car to suit Mears’ size and preferences, moving the pedals, seat, steering wheel and mirror position.
“All the guys are obviously wishing Brian the best; I hear he’s feeling good and I hope he gets back to us soon,” said crew chief Ryan Pemberton. “We just have to get the car sorted out and get the comfort level good for Mears.
“We just need some time to get to know him a little bit, know his concerns and hopefully put a good weekend behind us.”
Dover may be a good place for the substitute to get his first taste of action with Red Bull since he has had success there previously, finishing sixth in Delaware in 2007.
No matter what happens, Mears will keep in touch with Vickers throughout the weekend to update him on the team’s progress. The pair spoke at length before the first practice session Friday to help Mears understand how to approach the weekend.
Vickers was released Friday night from the hospital in Washington D.C. and will fly to Charlotte, N.C., where he will meet with specialists for further assessment.
Stay on track with the latest from NASCAR.com, or go to the home of the Red Bull Racing team. You can also follow Brian Vickers on Twitter.
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