HAMPTON, Ga. - What happened at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday was predictable and understandable, but that doesn't mean Carl Edwards shouldn't have to pay some penalty for "dumping" Brad Keselowski near the end of the Kobalt Tools 500.
Why is it understandable? Edwards thought, in the supercharged atmosphere of his cockpit, that Keselowski had it coming. He's not alone in that view. Late last year, Denny Hamlin made no bones about it when he spun out Keselowski. He'd vowed to do it a week earlier.
There were two differences. One was that Keselowski's Dodge turned over at Atlanta Motor Speedway after Edwards' Ford bumped and drove through it. The other was that, unlike Hamlin, Edwards said he was sorry.
Sorry, of course, doesn't cut it, as any number of miscreants could attest.
But there's no need to crucify Edwards, either. He's a racer, not an accountant. The heady experience of roaring around and around, on the edge of out of control, lap after lap, isn't particularly conducive to turning a cheek instead of a fender.
Not every driver takes matters into his own hands, but most have done it, to one extent or another, and every driver has thought seriously about it. The vigilante creed of the Sprint Cup Series is a more dangerous version of the Golden Rule: "Drive unto others as they drive unto you."
One of Edwards' virtues was honesty. He didn't deny that he meant to spin Keselowski out. He denied that he meant for Keselowski to bounce off the wall and turn upside down. I believe him.
But circumstances do count.
Edwards is basically a good guy. A little over-enthused at times, but once again, he is, after all, a racer. Keselowski's also a little over-enthused at times, and he's a newcomer to the Sprint Cup club. A good many members question whether or not he's paid his dues.
In the long run, this will probably benefit both parties. The rivalry will eventually morph into grudging acceptance of each by the other. This may not be a smooth transition, but a transition will occur. It always does. Feuds don't last forever. The one between Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott didn't. The one between Richard Petty and Bobby Allison didn't.
Edwards and Keselowski will have to get along because, ultimately, there's no other practical choice.
Things have been looking down for Jamie McMurray since the Daytona 500. Here he wrecks Martin Truex and Mark Martin in the final stages of the race. (Photo: Associated Press)
- The Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski feud suggests a serious flaw in NASCAR's recent "let 'em race" policy. Police themselves? Yeah, right.
- Didn't Jamie McMurray win the Daytona 500? Things have gone south ever since.
- Edwards seems to have few defenders in the grandstand or behind microphones. Kyle Petty on Speed: "That's just flagrant. ... They throw people out of basketball games for that. It's called a 'T.' 'Go to the locker room.' We heard a lot over the winter how we were going back to basics. This is not going back to basics, people, I don't care what you say."
- The multiple-overtime finishes are just ... nuts. The drivers can't be expected to stay under control when the rules aren't under control.
- Once again, Junior Nation rose in anticipation, this time after Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a pole. Once again, race day was a disappointment.
- The "official" estimate of the Atlanta crowd was 85,000. As usual, that was obviously high. Reasonable? The view here was 67,000.
- Kevin Harvick, who won Atlanta's Camping World Truck Series race, has finished ninth or better in every Sprint Cup race so far.
- Three drivers - Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle - have finished in the top 10 in all four races to date. That's why they rank first, second and third, respectively, in the point standings.
- Quote to remember, from Harvick after winning the Camping World Truck Series race at AMS: "A lot of the reason we race trucks is to make sure Kyle Busch doesn't win all these races. That's the honest truth."
- Harvick doesn't compete that often in the Truck Series, but, dating back to the 2008 season, he has won five of his past nine races ... and finished in the top five in the other four.
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OK, I guess Kurt Busch was the biggest winner at Atlanta. And Carl Edwards was the big loser.
If Kurt's the biggest, though, honorable mention must go to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
Had it not been for the rock 'em, sock 'em, Texas cage match between Edwards and Brad Keselowski, a Goodyear official probably would've been called upon to conduct some sort of media briefing regarding tire problems in the Kobalt Tools 500. I know requests were made. I can't be sure from my notes, but I read that at least 12 drivers had tire problems.
Goodyear brought a new compound to AMS, having tested there earlier this year. An inordinate amount of trouble befell the Hendrick Motorsports fleet, which failed to produce a single top-10 finisher after putting six in the top five (with two victories) in the season's first three races.
With five scheduled laps remaining in the race, most of the media were poised to explore a tire controversy.
Then Edwards, who had already been in one crash with Keselowski (and several notable ones in the past), returned the favor a bit crudely and Keselowski's Dodge wound up turning over and sailing through the air.
Tires were then largely forgotten.
NASCAR officials are considering disciplinary action against Edwards (likely announcement or lack of said announcement on Tuesday).
It would probably be appropriate for Goodyear to at least send Edwards a set of tires.
As a diversionary force, Edwards might as well have been the U.S. Cavalry.
Now that Danica is taking a NASCAR hiatus for a few months, can we please get back to talking about the actual competition in the Nationwide Series?
Three races into the season, the top ten in NNS points could be mistaken for the top ten in the Cup Series. Seven of the top ten are Cup drivers, with only Justin Allgaier, Steve Wallace, and Scott Riggs representing the NNS only crowd.
Of the three, Allgaier looks to be strongest challenger to unseat a likely Cup-driving champion. In three starts this season, he has one top five and three top ten finishes. At Las Vegas, Allgaier looked to be a contender for the win before fading late and finishing seventh. He certainly has the backing and the team to get it done, and the knowledge and experience from a solid rookie campaign could push him over the top.
There are also several intriguing new-comers to the series who could surprise and break through for wins. James Buescher, Trevor Bayne, Brian Scott, Colin Braun, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. all could have a say before the season is over. They all have the necessary talent and are all driving in equipment that has won in the recent past. Three races in, Buescher, Bayne, and Scott are all inside the top 20 in points, while Braun and Stenhouse have struggled and will have to dig themselves out of a hole.
Of the three Nationwide only drivers in the top ten, I think the most interesting story is that of Scott Riggs. He was tabbed to pilot the #09 Ford for RAB Racing only a few short weeks before Daytona. Riggs filled the seat that was vacated when John Wes Townley left the team and took his family sponsor to Richard Childress Racing. The RAB team is running without a major sponsor, yet has still found a way to be competitive against fully funded, Cup backed teams. With a little help, this team could be a factor.
It seems unlikely that, with so many Cup drivers in every race, a young driver like Allgaier will be celebrating at Homestead. Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, and Paul Menard are all planning on running the full slate of Nationwide Series races. But like they say, that’s why we run the races.
It has been over 24 hours now and I still can’t see a way NASCAR can get away without giving Carl Edwards a week or so off. I am not a fan of Brad Kesolowski at all but that really doesn’t weigh on my thoughts. If this was any two drivers I would feel the same. That is what is missing from this equation.
People are saying it’s payback for Talledega! That makes it even worse, and why did he choose now to do this. There were plenty of opportunity before this to wreck him. Carl waited until he was out of a race where it wouldn’t hurt his team. This premeditated wrecking was a long thought out plan. That is the reason why NASCAR will sit Carl down for a week.
What about the car he ruined, don’t you think Roger Penske is slightly pissed off about someone taking out his car and his sponsor who was going to have a top 5 finish. Someone has to pay for that car and that is where Carl’s prize money will go. If they strip him of his winnings from yesterday and combine that with last place money from next week that should just about cover it.
All I been hearing on Twitter is people saying Brad deserved it. I agree Brad had something coming but not at 180 mph. In the old days the stuff that brad does would have been handled off track and brad would have black eyes all the time.
I know NASCAR said they would let the drivers police themselves but there has to be a line there also, otherwise drivers would be carrying guns. I know that’s an overstatement but I wanted to show that a line has to be drawn somewhere and this is the place to do it.
People are saying a suspension is too much and it will take care of itself. I don’t think so, what if that car went into the stands and killed someone? Cousin Carl would have been arrested in the NASCAR hauler, not exactly what NASCAR wants to see happen. This is why they have to stop it right now. Don’t think for a minute that Brad is gonna let Carl get away with this. This is far from over unless NASCAR does something, and if they don’t and someone gets hurt then what.
The only way I see this coming to an end is to sit cousin Carl for a week and strip him of the prize from yesterday. I am sure some of Carl’s fans will not agree with me. I would have to say that Carl was my second favorite driver until this.
Premediated Wrecking : AwesomeWreckage.com ~ Nascar Fan Forum
Filed under: Carl Edwards, NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup
Filed under: Carl Edwards, NASCAR Crashes