Brian Vickers asked for and received permission from Hendrick Motorsports to look for a new ride, and Casey Mears was in line to replace him Thursday after informing car owner Chip Ganassi he won’t be returning next year.

Mears’ decision comes after weeks of his steadfast claims that he wanted to extend his contract with Ganassi and was not interested in talking to other teams. Ganassi hired Mears in 2003 and stuck with him despite several mediocre seasons.

“I wish him well,” Ganassi said. “I obviously take a lot of pleasure in the fact that I brought Casey a long way, and hopefully his next step will be as fruitful for him as his last step was.”

Mears is currently considered the top free agent despite never having won at any of NASCAR’s levels. Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth both signed long-term extensions with their current teams and Dale Jarrett decided to drive a Toyota next season, leaving Mears as the next best available driver.

His departure leaves a gaping hole in Ganassi’s three-car organization, which lost Jamie McMurray this year to Roush Racing. Mears was the senior driver to rookies Reed Sorenson and David Stremme, and is having the best season of his career. He’s currently 13th in the points and has been in and out of the top 10 all season.

Ganassi said he’ll begin his search immediately for a driver for his No. 42 Dodge.

But the talent pool is thin, even with Vickers now in it. He’s likely headed to either Robert Yates Racing’s top seat in the No. 88 Ford, or to one of the Toyota seats for its inaugural 2007 season.

“Brian came to us recently and expressed his desire to explore opportunities outside our organization,” Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex said Thursday. “Although he is under contract, we have given him permission to do so.”

Car owner Rick Hendrick has been committed to the 22-year-old Vickers, and recently gave him a multiyear extension that had not been previously announced. That contract will run through 2009.

So it’s unclear why Vickers now wants to leave one of NASCAR’s super-teams. Hendrick also fields cars for four-time series champion Jeff Gordon — whom Vickers is close friends with — points leader Jimmie Johnson, and 21-year-old hotshot Kyle Busch.

But Vickers has not had success in his two-plus seasons at the Nextel Cup level. While Busch scored two victories during last year’s rookie season, Vickers and his No. 25 team are winless with only 17 top 10 finishes in 90 career Cup starts.

USA Today

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