Mears to switch Hendrick teams

Mears will race the No. 5 car that has been driven for Kyle Busch for the past two seasons, and will continue to carry the team's same sponsors Kellogg's and CARQUEST, joining a team that has secured a place in the Chase for the Nextel Cup for the second year in a row.

"My goal is to meet the high standard the drivers before me helped establish with the No. 5 Chevrolet, both on and off the track," said Mears. "I'm looking forward to working with Alan and the team to continue the winning tradition for Kellogg's, CARQUEST and Hendrick Motorsports."

The 29-year-old Californian will work alongside crew chief Alan Gustafson who has earned four Nextel Cup wins, two poles, 25 top-five finishes and 45 top-tens since his first season as crew chief of Kyle Busch in the No. 5 Chevrolet in 2005.

Since its inception in 1984, the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team has posted 27 victories and 35 pole positions with four different drivers. The team also won the Nextel Cup title in 1996 with Terry Labonte.

"The No. 5 was our first car (at Hendrick Motorsports), so, for me, there's a lot of personal history in that team," said team owner Rick Hendrick. "Casey has proven capable of winning and running up front, which is what the No. 5 has always been about. The goal is more victory lanes and championships for the team."

Mears is in his first year with Hendrick Motorsports and took his maiden Nextel Cup victory in May, winning the Coca Cola 600. He also claimed pole at Chicagoland and has scored four top-five and six top-ten finished thus far, although he is the only Hendrick driver who will not be in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Hendrick's announcement means that Dale Earnhardt Jr will drive for the No. 25 team next year, where his current crew chief at DEI Tony Eury Jr will join him.