MBM Motorsports, which rebranded their NASCAR Cup Series operation as Garage 66 before the 2025 season began, have made two attempts to compete so far this year. Neither has translated to the race itself.
The team fielded the No. 66 Ford in the preseason Cook Out Clash exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium, and Garrett Smithley was its driver. But Smithley failed to qualify for the main event in his heat race, and he also failed to transfer from the Last Chance Qualifier.
The team returned for the official season opener at Daytona International Speedway, but they failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 as well. Mike Wallace was initially supposed to attempt to qualify the car, but NASCAR did not approve him to race. Chandler Smith drove it and was unable to get into the race via the single-car qualifying session or the Duel at Daytona.
But now Garage 66 are set to return, and they are likely locked in.
The No. 66 Ford is set to be included on the entry list for the upcoming Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway, and after more than six years out of the sport, Casey Mears is set to make a surprise return to the Cup Series.
There are now two confirmed non-chartered (open) cars on the entry list for the 400-lap race around the four-turn, 0.526-mile (0.847-kilometer) Ridgeway, Virginia oval, the other being the No. 50 Team AmeriVet Chevrolet.
Team AmeriVet have not made any appearances since they too failed to qualify for the Clash, and they are again set to compete with Burt Myers in their car. With it being highly unlikely that the entry list will consist of more than 40 cars, even the open cars should be locked in.
Mears, who competed in the Cup Series from 2003 to 2016, has not made a Cup Series start since he competed in the season-opening Daytona 500 for Germain Racing in 2019. He competed for German Racing from 2010 to 2016.
The 47-year-old Bakersfield, California native is a former Cup Series race winner, as he won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Hendrick Motorsports back in 2007.
As for MBM Motorsports, they have also not yet made any Xfinity Series appearances this year; the Garage 66 rebrand only covers the Cup Series, so the MBM name is still used at the Xfinity level. They are set to make their Xfinity Series season debut at Martinsville as well, with Tyler Tomassi behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford in the Marine Corps 250.
Fox Sports 1 is set to provide live coverage of the Cook Out 400 from Martinsville Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 30. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action!