Filed under: Carl Edwards, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR Fights, NASCAR

SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Grinning from ear to ear and sporting a new crew cut, Carl Edwards cheerily sat down to face a crowd of reporters even larger than the group waiting across the room to interview NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

After making himself comfortable, Edwards leaned in to the microphone and with a huge smile, dead-panned, "You guys see that race last week?''

Everyone laughed.

Good ol' Carl -- NASCAR's Eddie Haskell.

Like Haskell, the too-good-to-be true kid next door from the 1950s and 1960s TV show 'Leave It To Beaver,' who was mischievous when the grown-ups left the room, Edwards is proving more complicated than he lets on, too.

Edwards has endeared himself to fans with his trademark victory back flips, smooth style and up-for-anything disposition. He's articulate and charming -- a sponsor's dream with made-for-TV good looks and personality. And he knows how to get around a race track, winning the 2007 Nationwide Series championship and collecting 16 wins in the Sprint Cup Series.

Lately though, Edwards is making headlines as NASCAR's new "bully" who wrecks his rivals in the name of a win, prompting fans to wonder if he is really the gentlemanly sports hero atop the white horse, or NASCAR's new villain.

 

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