Edwards wants some laws regarding repaving tracks

FONTANA, Calif. -- There ought to be a law against repaving speedways.

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That's what Carl Edwards said Thursday during a break between Sprint Cup test sessions at California Speedway. His reference came in answer to a question about Daytona International Speedway, which will host the 50th Daytona 500 on Feb. 17.

"NASCAR should make a rule that makes it completely illegal to resurface a racetrack -- ever," was the tongue-in-cheek comment from Edwards, who had the fastest Ford and the 10th-fastest speed overall at 180.496 mph in Thursday morning's Preseason Thunder test session (speeds). "It should be as nasty and bumpy and rough as possible.

"It makes it so much more fun to drive and race on when the tracks are not perfect. I think it's just the car. The bumps -- I don't want to say anything; I don't want to get that started -- the track's PERFECT at Daytona. I like it. I think the [new] car has a little less downforce and moves around a little bit more, and I think that makes the racing better. I think that's good.

"If it was real smooth and perfect and easy to do, that's not racing. That's driving down the interstate."

As the day went on at California Speedway, Edwards found the top of the speed charts. In the afternoon session, Edwards' No. 99 Ford was second at 179.888 behind only Jeff Gordon who had the fastest lap at 180.505 in his No. 24 Hendrick Chevrolet.

When the sun set and the lights came on, Edwards found even more speed and raced to the top of the evening session chart with a lap of 181.228. Edwards and his Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth were the only two drivers to eclipse the 181 mph mark in the evening session as Kenseth was second fastest in his No. 17 Ford with a lap of 181.036.