STATESVILLE, N.C. Just 11 starts shy of 500 NASCAR Cup Series races, Casey Mears will return to action on March 30, when he takes to the track for the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

He will pilot the No. 66 HitchGO Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Garage 66, a team co-owned by NASCAR mainstay, Carl Long.

Mears, who has one Cup Series victory to his credit, last started a race in the series in 2019 and has not run with the Next Gen race car.

HitchGO, a mobile RV repair, camper and trailer services company with coverage in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and beyond, will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 66 Ford Mustang. Mosbys Towing and Transport, and Coble Enterprises will ride along with Mears as major associate sponsors.

If Mears can achieve this prestigious milestone, he will become just the 48th driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to surpass the 500-start mark. The only active drivers who share this status are Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell.

Mears looks forward to visiting the historic Martinsville Speedway while he chases history of his own.

Im happy to be back in a race car and look forward to returning to Martinsville, one of my favorite tracks, Mears said. I appreciate Carl working with me to make it happen; hes a well-respected, great guy whos worked hard to experience longevity in the sport. Im excited to have HitchGO, Mosbys Towing and Transport, and Coble Enterprises on board as we chip away at 500 NASCAR Cup Series starts.

Carl Long, a fixture in the sport for nearly three decades, is excited to partner with Mears on his quest to eclipse 500 Cup Series starts.

Having Casey Mears drive a Garage 66 car is a proud day for our organization, Long said. Hes driven for NASCARs elite, such as Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. Adding Garage 66 to that list means a lot to me and everyone whos helped build our team.