NASCAR: Ty Dillon replaces Mears at Germain Racing

Ty Dillon will take over full-time driving duties in Germain Racing's No. 13 GEICO Chevy SS in 2017, replacing veteran Casey Mears, the team announced Monday.

Mears had one top-five and five top-10s in six seasons with Germain Racing. His sole Sprint Cup victory came in the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 while driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

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"First of all, I want to thank Casey Mears for everything he's done for our race team over the past six years," team owner Bob Germain said. "He's been an integral part of our growth and a great representative for GEICO and our many partners. Bringing Ty onboard is an exciting opportunity for us and we are committed to giving him all the resources he needs to reach his full potential. He's a very talented driver and first class young man. I'm looking forward to working with him, as well as expanding our relationship with [Richard Childress Racing]."

Dillon, 24, has made 18 Sprint Cup starts for several teams, including Circle Sport/Leavine Family Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing. His best result to date is a sixth-place finish at Talladega as a relief driver for Tony Stewart. Dillon started his NASCAR career as a 19-year-old in the Camping World Truck Series; he has three truck wins and a 2014 Xfinity Series win at Indianapolis.

"I have been preparing for this next step in my career for several years," Dillon said. "With my experience in the Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series, I am ready to drive full-time in the Sprint Cup Series. I want to thank Bob Germain and the entire Germain Racing organization for giving me this opportunity. It will be an honor to represent a brand and sponsor like GEICO which has played such a significant role in the sport for so many years."

"Ty has done an exceptional job for us at RCR in every series he has raced in," RCR chairman and CEO Richard Childress said. "He has won races at each level and competed for championships every year. Ty is a passionate driver and has shown that he is ready for the highest level of stock car racing. I'm proud of him and I am confident he will succeed. I have a lot of respect for Bob Germain and the organization he has built, and I know he and Ty will be successful together. I also look forward to Ty's continued involvement in RCR's XFINITY Series program."