Edwards answers critics despite 42nd-place finish

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Carl Edwards did exactly what he needed to do Sunday in order to tell his detractors to shut up. And along the way, Edwards showed the kind of "in-your-face" attitude that makes a top-notch championship contender.

One week after an oil tank cover in his winning car was found to be not where NASCAR technical inspectors expected it to be following the race, Edwards remained poised amid a firestorm of criticism. In fact, he was poised enough to be well on his way to a third consecutive victory when the engine in the No. 99 Ford let go 51 laps from the finish of Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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It was the kind of effort -- if not the finish -- that Edwards and the team needed, and wanted. It was almost as if with every lap he ran at the front of the field, Edwards was hammering home to everyone in attendance that a loose oil tank lid had little to do with why he won a week ago.

The only thing that spoiled what could have been a perfect opportunity to repair the team's somewhat sullied reputation was when Edwards' car began showing smoke immediately after a Lap 267 restart. Even though Edwards was still turning laps better than the rest of the field, it was only a matter of time -- seven more laps -- before things would go from bad to worse.

And Edwards took the opportunity to needle those folks who insinuated that the No. 99 team perhaps needed an unfair advantage.

"I don't know what happened, but the oil tank lid was on," Edwards said. "I just appreciate my fans for sticking with us this week.

"It's been a long week with a lot of stuff said, but I think we showed them here today, other than something coming apart in the engine, I believe we had the car that was the class of the field."

What will show in the box score as a 42nd-place finish won't come close to explaining how good Edwards was on Sunday. Just like Fontana. Just like Las Vegas. And perhaps the rest of the season.

This is a team that isn't folding its tent just because circumstances last week led to a substantial penalty from NASCAR.

By leading four times for 33 laps, Edwards went a long way toward proving without a shadow of a doubt that the No. 99 team will overcome that 100-point penalty and won't shy away from the spotlight suddenly shined in their eyes in the last seven days.

"I just go drive as hard as I can," he said. "I wanted to win this race just as bad as I win every race. It's just great to have cars that will go as fast as I want to go. I'm sure it's just a part failure or something, but I really wanted to win. We'll try just as hard next week."

If anything, Edwards was thinking about how crew chief Bob Osborne, home serving his suspension instead of directing traffic from the pit box, might take the team's unexpected early retirement.

"I was just crusing along, man," Edwards said. "That thing was just really, really good. I know Bob's at home right now, probably got a hole in the TV right now. You can't ever say what was going to happen but I think we were going to win that race. I was having a blast."

Edwards was frustrated with his finish, but not with the effort. And that seems to be making all the difference at this early stage of the season.

"To win three in a row in this series is real tough," Edwards said. "To win three out of the first four, that would have been spectacular. But I think we showed today and we've showed the last couple of weeks that we've got a great team. Our whole team is working well together.

"I'm excited. It's gonna be another week just like last week where you just can't wait to race at Bristol. I cannot wait."

Whatever's working for Carl Edwards, he'll keep a lid on it for now.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer