CART MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 22, 1999

Casey Mears

CASEY MEARS: Between this year and last year there really is no comparison. I can't say enough for the experience I got the last couple of years. But this year, doing everything right, having the right budget, testing, and it has just been ten times better.

CASEY MEARS: It is obviously a huge help. There is never too much you can say for experience. He has taught me a lot the last few years and having him there by my side at each practice and each test, it just has been a huge, huge opportunity. There are so many details that you tend to forget and he will get focused on a certain thing and he will bring you back to earth and say, hey, don't forget about this part. And is has been a great help and I really appreciate that.

CASEY MEARS: My dad has been there for me ever since I first started racing when I was real young. He is really the one that taught me the entry of the apex and the exit of a corner. My dad just helped me a lot. Between that and Rick having their experience and also like I did early on, I think it really benefited me where I am at now.

CASEY MEARS: Obviously it would be real important. The whole reason why I am in Indy Lights now is because it is a proven series that makes a driver capable of moving up to Champ Cars. So far this year the consistency has been paying off. To be an American driver and Champ Car and to do well would obviously be my ultimate goal. I hope that opens it up some doors and some opportunities. This year really has been good to me. We have been consistent. And, being American, hopefully it will give me a little bit of an edge if some teams are looking for that. We are going to ride the rest of this year out. Hopefully things will work out and will move on.

CASEY MEARS: Sure. Right now, first of all, with Clint, he is running with the Jim Holly Hendrix (phonetic) school in California. He has opened that school right now and actually is looking forward to running some late model stuff on the weekends. I guess the main reason for that opportunity is just because they are -- looks like there is some future in it; with maybe some other stuff down the road with maybe Busch or something like that but that is kind of where he stands right now.

CASEY MEARS: Well, now what we are doing -- I'd love to move up next year. But in all -- when I put together the experience that I have had, because of the fact of the lack of budget we had the last couple of years, I like to think that this year is really my second full year, when I talk about actual track time. I'd like to do well this year; finish off this year; evaluate it a little bit better when it comes forward to end of the season, I would love to move up next year, but if I have opportunities to run Lights again I will and just gain more experience before the next move tape.

CASEY MEARS: Okay, there was a point in offseason where I really didn't know what direction I was going. I have been talking to everybody and because of the last couple of years we have had some success on the ovals and we really struggled not having the testing to do well on the road courses, and I kind of got named as being an oval guy. And, also having Rick in my corner that has totally been something we has kind of gotten labeled with. So it was always hard -- talked to a lot of Indy Lights guys, hey, you did really well on the ovals, I don't know about the road courses. It was tough. I didn't know if we were going to get an opportunity this year and it worked out. Team Mears and Dorricott to create Dorricott/Mears Racing and it has been a great opportunity for me. Hopefully I can now show everybody what I can do on the road courses and so far it has been paying off.

CASEY MEARS: Well, including the preseason stuff before the season even started, I think we had a total of four days last year. We took the first couple days just to get back in the seat again and get used to things; then I think we had two other days where we actually had to go out and tried to test a little bit but we didn't get too far. Shoot, I think we have already done about eight days this year - eight or nine days - and we have more scheduled and I don't know what to do. I have been talking to the guys and every time we have a test, it is like I can't believe all the time I am getting and it has just really brought me up to that next level. I have seen gains in myself and gains in the car and it has just been a great thrill this year.

CASEY MEARS: I tell you what, during the season it seemed like things are taking quite a while but now that I look back on it, it just seems like yesterday I ran at Cleveland in 1996 and I really look forward to it again. Cleveland is a really fun track, it is wide open. A lot of fun and I can't wait to get there again.

CASEY MEARS: Thanks a lot, appreciate it.