Report: Mears won’t return to Red Bull car

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(June 15, 2010)

Casey Mears won’t be back in the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota in the Sprint Cup Series, according to a report Tuesday on Sirius Satellite Radio. Representatives of Red Bull Racing could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

On an interim basis, Mears replaced Brian Vickers, who is undergoing treatment for blood clots and will not race again in 2010. German Touring Car competitor Mattias Ekstrom already had been tabbed to drive the No. 83 this weekend at the Infineon Raceway road course in Sonoma, Calif.

The report on “Sirius Speedway” with Dave Moody comes two days after an incident at Michigan where contact from the No. 83, which Mears was driving, spun teammate Scott Speed near the apex of Turns 1 and 2 at the 2-mile track. The No. 83 Toyota sustained further damage when Mears and David Ragan collided on pit road.

After the race, Speed was critical of his fill-in teammate, who had a best finish of 22nd at Dover in four starts in the No. 83. There was no word on a possible successor for Mears when the series returns to oval racing June 27 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The “Sirius Speedway” report follows confirmation from Red Bull Racing on Tuesday that director of competition Elton Sawyer will leave the organization after this weekend’s race at Infineon, in what can best be described as a cost-cutting move.