After missing the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season entirely, MBM Motorsports made their comeback in 2024 with a part-time schedule, and they increased their commitment in 2025, even though they still don't compete full-time like they once did.
This past weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway marked their 16th appearance and 15th start (they failed to qualify for the Daytona 500) of the year, and it was Casey Mears, who made his first Cup Series start since 2019 back in March at Martinsville Speedway, behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford.
For the team now known as Garage 66 on the Cup side, Mears delivered an 18th place finish, good for his best finish since the 2016 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and his team's best finish since 2020, when Timmy Hill, then competing full-time, finished 15th at Talladega.
Casey Mears returning for final two races of 2025
As a part-time team, it was the Carl Long-owned organization's best finish since Hill placed 14th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017.
Mears is one of seven drivers to spend time behind the wheel of the No. 66 car this year, and he is set to wrap up the season in the car, competing in both this Sunday's race at Martinsville and in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway next weekend. The No. 66 car is the only part-time car on this weekend's entry list.
It marks the first time since 2021 that MBM Motorsports/Garage 66 have entered a car for the same driver two weeks in a row. Hill closed out the 2021 season with back-to-back starts at Martinsville and Phoenix.
Not many fans would have had a Mears return to the Cup Series on their bingo cards for 2025, but it's hard not to root for the veteran once believed to be out of the Cup Series for good, especially at a team whose own Cup Series future was recently in question. Mears had made just one start since 2016 prior to his 2025 return, and he's up to three this year.
While it will be tough for him to better his 18th place finish in a non-superspeedway race to close out the season, would two more solid performances be enough to justify a 2026 return?
Tune in to NBC at 2:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, October 25 for the live broadcast of the Xfinity 500 from Martinsville Speedway. If you have yet to begin a free trial of FuboTV, do so now and don't miss any NASCAR Cup Series playoff action to wrap up the 2025 season!