NASCAR: Casey Mears’ new challenge — again

Casey Mears leaned forward on the leather sofa, still wearing a firesuit that is starkly bare in a sport driven by corporate logos. You could feel his emotion before he finally did away with start-and-stops to sentences he wanted to be encouraging. “It’s frustrating,” he finally said. “Bottom line, you want to be in the race, and all these guys want to be in the race.”

If you would like to read racescribe author Martin Henderson’s ESPNLosAngeles.com story about Mears and his second race with newly formed Keyed-Up Motorsports, click here.

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NASCAR: Time for Junior’s defining moment

He’s the most popular driver in America, and right now, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is the most overrated.

He is in the worst slump of his career. He moved to the best team in NASCAR and has won once — the same number of victories as David Reutimann running for a team that isn’t one of the super teams, or Brad Keselowski running for an independent, for gosh sakes.

In other words, Dale Jr. is just a guy. Because of his extraordinary popularity, he might as well be Anna Kournikova. Or Danica Patrick.

IRL: A step behind, but Americans stepping up

St. Louis may be the gateway to the west, but Kansas Speedway is the gateway to the Indianapolis 500. It might also have been the first step toward a legitimate resurgence among American open wheel drivers.

Two weeks ago, Scott Dixon finally got off the schneid, Helio Castroneves showed he’s in midseason form, and Tony Kanaan proved once again he is as reliable as ever. But perhaps the most notable thing to emerge from the heavy skies outside Kansas City in the IndyCar Series Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 is what took place behind them.

Danica Patrick, 27, Marco Andretti, 22, and Graham Rahal, 20 — three Americans — finished 5-6-7 in the running order. That’s about as good as can be expected as they catch up to the aforementioned, as well as Dario Franchitti. That Franchitti was the only sure thing to not finish the race, it turned out to be a banner day for the red, white and blue.

That’s right, Americans.

NASCAR: Hamlin’s success anything but normal

Wasn’t sure about Denny Hamlin. Seemed to drive like some rich kid who’s been given a Porsche for his graduation. His eighth-grade graduation. Can’t tell if he’s cocky, arrogant, aloof or shy. How do you break through that veil of entitlement?

Or do you?

Or is he just … quiet? Maybe I’ve got him all wrong.

Maybe that’s what makes him good at what he does. He’s able to fly under the radar until he drops the bomb.