First ever NASCAR win for Mears
Casey Mears took his first NASCAR career victory at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday, as a good call by his team on pitstop strategy saw him win the USG Durock 300 race
Mears stayed out on track while the leaders came in for a pitstop with 50 laps to go in the 200-lap race, and the decision proved crucial in handing the Chip Ganassi Racing driver his first win in any level of NASCAR.
Mears beat Carl Edwards, who dominated most of the race and was clear favourite to win, with 53 laps led. Third was Jeff Burton, followed by Busch points leader Kevin Harvick, with Matt Kenseth in fifth place.
Sixth was Kurt Busch, who had most laps led in the race, with 79 laps, but a mid-race pitstop eventually cost him a chance of victory.
Pos Driver Make Laps 1. Casey Mears Dodge 200 2. Carl Edwards Ford 200 3. Jeff Burton Chevrolet 200 4. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 200 5. Matt Kenseth Ford 200 6. Kurt Busch Dodge 200 7. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 200 8. Reed Sorenson Dodge 200 9. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 200 10. J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 200 11. Michael Waltrip Dodge 200 12. Bobby Labonte Ford 200 13. Dave Blaney Chevrolet 200 14. Denny Hamlin Chevrolet 200 15. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 200 16. Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 200 17. Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 200 18. Todd Kluever Ford 200 19. Jason Leffler Chevrolet 199 20. Stacy Compton Ford 199 21. Jon Wood Ford 199 22. David Green Ford 199 23. Burney Lamar Chevrolet 199 24. Greg Biffle Ford 198 25. John Andretti Ford 198 26. David Gilliland Chevrolet 198 27. Jay Sauter Chevrolet 198 28. Regan Smith Ford 198 29. Kenny Wallace Ford 198 30. Kasey Kahne Dodge 197 31. Danny O'Quinn Jr. Ford 197 32. Auggie Vidovich Dodge 196 33. Tim Sauter Chevrolet 196 34. Kertus Davis Chevrolet 196 35. Ashton Lewis Ford 194 36. Jerry Robertson Chevrolet 185 37. Cale Gale Dodge 183 38. Elliott Sadler Ford 182 39. Paul Menard Chevrolet 166 40. Jamie McMurray Dodge 122 41. Tracy Hines Dodge 91 42. Kyle Busch Chevrolet 79 43. Kevin Lepage Chevrolet 70
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