The reigning Indianapolis 500 from Hendersonville, Tennessee, is primed to achieve a milestone start in his 13th season competing in the NTT IndyCar Series.
Over his 16-year Hall of Fame career that ran from 1976 through 1992, Rick Mears captured four Indianapolis 500 wins and three CART IndyCar championships.
Friday favourite: The street track gem behind a breakthrough IndyCar result motorsport.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from motorsport.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Josef Newgarden finally checked the final box by winning this year's Indy 500. But there is still something the two-time IndyCar champion hasn't achieved.