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Aug 18, 2025
Casey Mears’ pursuit of 500 NASCAR Cup Series starts continues this weekend at Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, with support from S.I. Yachts.
S.I. Yachts, a leading dealer of both Viking Yachts and Valhalla Boatworks, will feature prominently on the No. 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Mears on Saturday, August 23 at Daytona.
Mears previously competed with the team in March at Martinsville Speedway. S.I. Yachts, owned by Germain Motor Company, offering their support is also a reunion of sorts with Bob Germain. Germain, who previously owned the Germain Racing team which employed Mears from 2010 to 2016, is the uncle of S.I. Yachts CEO Zach Germain.
“We’re excited to support Casey as he aims to surpass the 500-start milestone, and we’re thrilled to reconnect with him in NASCAR,” said Zach Germain. “Casey is a person of high character who aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering high-quality, premium boats along with top-tier customer service.
“We’re dedicated to helping people create memories on the water, and we’re excited to help Casey make memories on the track,” he continued, “I got my enthusiasm for fishing and boating from my Uncle Bob Germain, and it’s an honor to be a Viking and Valhalla dealer because of our shared passion and the memories we’ve created over the years.”
Acrisure, which partnered with Mears at Martinsville, will once again be involved as an associate sponsor for the Daytona appearance.
“We’re happy to again partner with Casey, a driver who excels on and off the racetrack, complementing Acrisure’s culture of execution and elite performance,” said Vernon Leake, CEO of Acrisure Protection Group. “Daytona International Speedway is a legendary motorsports venue and bucket list race for most, so we’re excited to have Acrisure on board with Casey and support him as he continues his pursuit of such a worthy accomplishment.”
Mears considers Daytona one of his favorite tracks from his long NASCAR career. The California driver finished second to Jimmie Johnson in the 2006 Daytona 500. In 26 Daytona Cup Series starts, Mears recorded two top-fives, six top-10s and completed 93.5 percent of the laps in those races.
“I’m excited to have this opportunity to return to one of my favorite tracks, and I’m grateful to S.I. Yachts and Acrisure for their support, and to Carl Long for putting me in his car,” Mears said. “My relationship with Bob Germain and the Germain family is special to me, so it’s only appropriate for us to return to Daytona, a track where we’ve had a lot of success together and share many special memories. I’m also appreciative of Acrisure’s continued partnership. I’ve enjoyed the relationship we’ve built, and I look forward to our continued collaboration.”
“I’m glad we could put this partnership together, and we’re excited to have Casey in our car at Daytona,” said Garage 66 co-owner Carl Long. “We secured a Roush Yates engine and a quality pit crew, so we’re looking forward to hitting the track.
“We appreciate the support of S.I. Yachts and Acrisure, and it means a lot to have the Germain family’s backing. The Germain family has a storied history in NASCAR, with two NASCAR Truck Series Championships and a Cup Series team that spanned 12 years, so I’m honored to have them on board with us this weekend.”
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 takes place at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, August 23. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
-Photo credit: Garage 66
