Carl Edwards' day started well Friday in Mexico City. Credit: Autostock

Edwards struggles in final practice at Mexico

MEXICO CITY -- Carl Edwards swears he still likes road racing. After Friday's second practice at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, you'd have to wonder why.

After leading the first Busch Series practice in a foreign country, Edwards had an eventful second session.

	Getting happy Happy Hour Speeds at Mexico City Pos. Driver Speed 1. A. Fernandez 104.036 mph 2. R. Fellows 103.503 3. B. Said 103.470 4. T. Walker 103.266 5. J. Goeters 103.178 6. R. Gordon 103.091 7. K. Wallace 103.075 8. C. Edwards 102.941 9. P. Menard 102.932 10. M. Jourdain 102.918 Complete results, click here

First, he misjudged a corner and slid off the course. No harm, no foul, and he returned to the track.

Maybe he should've quit while he was ahead. His undoing? A chicane in the long frontstretch that was designed to slow the cars down for the sharp, right-hand Turn 1.

Edwards was following a car he said was Kim Crosby through the chicane, a quick right-left-right-left insert into the frontstretch. The cars got through the first right-left fine, but Crosby missed the exit, going straight instead of going right.

Edwards, caught by surprise by the sudden move, missed the braking point, clipped the outside curb and shot left. Out of control, Edwards drilled the concrete barrier to the right of the track, slamming head-first into the barrier and bouncing across the track.

NASCAR and track officials worked to repair the damaged wall. Meanwhile, Edwards walked back to the garage area as his Roush Racing team brought out the No. 60 backup car.

But the engine in the backup blew up. Edwards at least was able to keep this car out of the fence.

So after a quick start, Edwards has ruined one car and two engines. But the rookie road-racer still likes racing here.

"I love it," Edwards said. "Our car was fast. On old tires, we ran like a (88.)28. We were moving. We were getting ready to run a great lap, but I guess that what comes with a little bit of maturity."

He took the blame for the crash, but replays appeared to show Edwards couldn't avoid it.

"I had too good of a car and just wasn't patient enough," a dazed Edwards said as reporters cut him off from going to the hauler for some pain medicine. "The 24 car, I was closing in on that car really fast through the first chicane. And then (Crosby) turned right into the second one and just aborted and turned left and went through the cones.

"At that point, you can't see the chicane. You're just looking at their car. I guess I hit one of (the curbs). Holy ..."

He didn't say the four-letter word. He didn't have to. The impact was enormous, so strong that Edwards wondered if he broke a tooth.

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"Dude, I've never hit anything that hard, ever," Edwards said. "I'm hurting. My head hurts really bad, so I'm going to go sit down and take some Advil or something."

Edwards was eighth-fastest in the session, but that was in the primary car.

Adrian Fernandez firmly established himself as the favorite for the pole Saturday with an amazing lap of 104.036 mph. That fast lap was more than four-tenths of a second faster than Ron Fellows, who went 103.503.

Fernandez is a Mexico City native and will undoubtedly be the fan favorite this weekend. His popularity has grown to Dale Earnhardt Jr.-like status as Fernandez rose through the ranks to become a winner in CART and the IRL.

This is Fernandez's first attempt at a NASCAR race, and he appears to have taken to stock cars just fine, thank you.

"I feel fine. I'm pushing when I need to push," said Fernandez, driving Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet. "I'm trying not to make mistakes. I try to follow a rhythm. I feel good about the car. I'm trying different things. Some things work, and other's don't. ... We're very close, so that is good."

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Boris Said was third in the second practice at 103.470, followed by Tyler Walker and Jorge Goeters. Walker is the lone full-time Busch driver among the top five, and he's a rookie, too.

Goeters, another Mexican driver, has been impressive in Brewco Motorsports' No. 66 Ford, running seventh in the first practice and fifth in the second.

Like Friday's first session, the afternoon practice was marked with numerous spins, off-course excursions and crashes. Mark Montgomery spun twice, Mexico City native Michel Jourdain Jr. crashed and had to go to a backup car, and Robby Gordon and Rusty Wallace both spun moments apart at the entrance to Turn 1.

Finally, the practice ended with Edwards' smoky slide.

But Edwards' enthusiasm didn't stop.

"I'm really excited," Edwards said. "The guys did really well and got (the backup) ready to go. The damn motor blew up there. Otherwise, that car was awesome. We feel like we can run good with that one."