PREVIEW: CASEY MEARS (NO. 25 NATIONAL GUARD/GMAC MONTE CARLO SS)
VENUE: POCONO RACEWAY (2.5-MILE TRIANGULAR TRACK)
CIRCUIT: NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES (RACE 14 OF 36)
EVENT: SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2007 (200 LAPS, 500 MILES)

FORECASTING SUCCESS: Casey Mears and the No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet team didn't let a little rain and some early handling difficulties bring them down last weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. When the skies cleared, Mears and company proved it's the finish that counts when they turned a 41st-place qualifying effort into an impressive 13th-place result.

READ MY MOMENTUM: In the past two weeks, Mears has gained eight spots in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. The Hendrick Motorsports driver heads to Pocono Raceway in 27th place and will look to build on his National Guard/GMAC team's momentum when he takes to the 2.5-mile triangular track in Long Pond, Pa.

A WINNER AT LONG POND: In 2003, Mears swept both ARCA races at Pocono. The Bakersfield, Calif., native's best Cup Series result at the track came in June 2004 when he finished 10th after 500 miles.

SOMETHING ABOUT POCONO: Mears also notched his first career NEXTEL Cup pole award when the NASCAR circuit visited Pocono in August 2004. One week later, Mears topped the speed charts yet again when he captured the pole position in track-record time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

CHASSIS 334 FOR MEARS: Crew chief Darian Grubb has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 334 for this weekend's NEXTEL Cup event. The car last raced in April at Texas Motor Speedway and also logged laps in test sessions at Kentucky Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway earlier this season.

POISED FOR A BREAKTHROUGH: Since 2004, the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports team has never qualified outside of the top 10 at Pocono and has three top-five results there, including a pair of fourth-place finishes last year.

HISTORY LESSON: Team owner Rick Hendrick has 10 Cup Series victories at Pocono -- three more than any other car owner -- and three of those wins belong to the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports team. Driver Tim Richmond swept both races at the distinctive Pennsylvania track in 1986 and visited Victory Lane again there in June 1987 after leading 82 laps.

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A TEAM CELEBRATION: Casey Mears and members of the No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet team will greet fans and celebrate their recent NEXTEL Cup victory at Lowe's Motor Speedway when they stop by the Kingston Armory in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., from 6:15-8:15 p.m. local time on Thursday. The team's appearance is part of the Pennsylvania National Guard's "NASCAR Night" event.

CASEY'S CROWD: Mears will greet fans and sign autographs at 10 a.m. local time on Sunday at the No. 25 National Guard/GMAC souvenir hauler outside Pocono Raceway.

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CASEY MEARS, DRIVER OF THE NO. 25 NATIONAL GUARD/GMAC MONTE CARLO SS: (ON HIS 13TH-PLACE FINISH LAST WEEKEND AT DOVER.) "Dover wasn't an easy one for us by any means. We struggled getting our No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Impala SS to turn, but in the final practice we made some changes that really helped and ended up with a car capable of finishing in the top eight or 10 after qualifying way back in the field. So, it was definitely a great effort by Darian (Grubb) and everyone on the team. I wish we could have moved up a few more spots at the end, but we still got a solid finish and that's exactly what we needed."

MEARS: (ON TAKING QUICKLY TO POCONO.) "As soon as I ran Pocono, I adapted to it really well. The most fun thing about that track was being able to shift. It just made that track a blast. Now with the gear rules and not being able to shift, the track isn't as exciting as it used to be. But it's still a fun place, and one of the main reasons I'm looking forward to going back is because the No. 25 team ran so well there last year."

MEARS: (ON THE DEATH OF BILL FRANCE JR.) "Mr. France meant a lot to our sport and its growth across the country. As someone who grew up in California, I'm just one example of how NASCAR has grown to reach more people and more places over the years. Mr. France played a big role in that expansion, and I know the NASCAR community is really going to miss him."

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DARIAN GRUBB, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 25 NATIONAL GUARD/GMAC MONTE CARLO SS: (ON SUCCESS AT POCONO.) "Pocono is another unique track with a different setup needed for each of the three turns. The key is finding a compromise that is the best combination for all three. There's also a large emphasis placed on aero and engine power output there due to the large variation in speed and rpm, especially since NASCAR has eliminated the shifting that used to be commonplace."