Weekend That Was: MIS

Oftentimes it is the little things that can make a big difference in life, and in Nextel Cup racing.

An adjustment here, an adjustment there -- and suddenly a bad day can turn into a good one. Or, of course, vice versa.

That doesn't just apply to adjustments on a car during a race. It also applies to attitude adjustments before, during and after races. The drivers and crews who can handle adversity, who many times can twist it to their advantage, often are the teams that come out on top.

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Why bring this up after a weekend that included Carl Edwards winning the Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway? Because evidence of it abounded, and not just with the winning No. 99 Ford team powered by Roush Fenway Racing.

But we can start with Edwards' team.

Edwards had a tough night Saturday, when he thought he should have won the Busch Series race at Kentucky Speedway and didn't. He stewed over it long after his arrival in Michigan at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, even though his next race, and frankly a more important one, loomed less than 24 hours ahead.

Edwards couldn't get what might have been, but wasn't, out of his head.

"Our car was real fast in the Busch race and we had a little adversity and we didn't win the thing and we should have," Edwards said. "It was tough to sleep [Saturday] night."

The next morning, Edwards' salvation for the day came in the form of a conversation with Bob Osborne, his level-headed and intelligent crew chief.

"Bob and I talked a little bit, and he convinced me to put that behind me and go out and do a job," Edwards said.

Even then, it wasn't easy -- and more adversity loomed ahead when Edwards was penalized for speeding as he exited pit road, sending him to the back of those on the lead lap, in the 28th position, when he had been running up front all day.

"Our car was good enough that we eventually got back up to the front," Edwards said.

So was his temperament. Other drivers might have gone off into an emotional abyss, never to be seen in the top 10 again for the day. Edwards didn't, and eventually was rewarded with snapping his 52-race winless streak as a result. (Continued)