“It was so nerve-racking”, Edwards recalled.
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Last week: Logano won at Charlotte to secure a spot in the third round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Then, consider that both he and his four-car Joe Gibbs Racing team lead the circuit in victories, with five and 13 respectively.
Kyle Busch won Saturday’s XFINITY Series in Kansas. “This format, by design, it’s nearly impossible to predict”. Doing whatever it takes to get the win and move forward in the Chase is one thing, but Edwards is somewhat safe now in sixth place and a more conservative race may just be all he needs to stay safe in the championship hunt.
“It’s just one of them things”.
Yes, the 44-year-old four-time Sprint Cup champion, future racing retiree and competitor in the Sunday (Oct. 18), Hollywood Casino 400 (on NBC), is the owner and proprietor of Jeff Gordon Cellars, which has been producing award-winning small-lot boutique wines since 2004.
Postrace, when I read Carl’s comments, I was surprised he said he had to stand his ground, and I immediately began thinking that, if I were in that position, and that’s the explanation I received after being bumped only 70 laps into the race, I would have a hard time with it, considering my championship chances were so deeply affected.
Even his Citation jet, which carries a price tag well into the millions. “It was that way the first time I came here and when you enjoy driving a track as much as I do this track as a driver it allows you to not have to think too much about what you are doing out there, but just fine tune on what you need out of the vehicle”. “There’s no amount of money that we wouldn’t give”.
As a result, he dropped from first in points heading into the race to last among the drivers in the Chase, the 42nd-place finish ramping up the anxiety level over the next two weeks.
Now, he needs a win – or enough points – to advance. But the elimination of perennial favorite Johnson in the last round once more proved that relying on points is a risky proposition. Kenseth said Friday he has not seen a replay of the crash. If it’s a 10-race deal, maybe he’s not out…. We know the grooves and all of that is going to change, so we have a few speed.
So far, Edwards has been able to avoid any such problems. No driver argues that winning shouldn’t be rewarded, but is this second-year version of the Chase fair to winners who have one catastrophic bobble?
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Brad Keselowski and the #2 team appear to be point racing their way toward the final this season as they have had “good enough” runs without capturing a victory during the Chase. That proved his new team with crew chief Darian Grubb could get it done. “That’s a good question for when the race is over, but I think right now it is what it is and we’ll make the most of it”. “We needed something to rally around, and let the pressure release”. Stewart, who qualified 17, will pick 43 and last.
