Putting last year in past, Edwards paces practice (cont'd)

Still, Edwards isn't particularly fond of restrictor-plate racing. In nine Talladega starts, he has three top-10s -- and none since 2006.

"In a way, I know it's exciting for the fans, but I personally don't think that this style of racing should be a part of the Sprint Cup Series," Edwards said. "It's just too bad we have to race like this. If it weren't for points it would be a little different, but you've really got to go out there and put yourself in a position where you're just at the mercy of everything and I hope that someday we can find a way to race at these tracks without being in that position."

Biffle, one of the victims of Edwards' poor decision in October, has to wonder what it takes to finish at Talladega, let alone record a top-10 finish. He's crashed out of four of the last five races at the biggest track on the circuit -- and the inevitable multi-car accident is never far from his mind.

"Certainly I'm looking forward to the checkered flag at Talladega because that's the big thing," Biffle said. "We always run well there and the thing is, obviously everybody talks about it, is missing that accident.

"Inevitably, one is gonna happen at some point throughout the race when those cars are that bunched up and that's what makes Talladega so exciting for the drivers and the fans -- that bunched-up racing -- but what we look forward to is being able to finish that race and get a good finish out of it and that's certainly what we're looking forward to. There's no doubt that we're gonna run decent at Talladega this weekend. The big picture is staying out of trouble and minding our P's and Q's at the end of the race."

For unknown reasons, that's been the biggest issue for Biffle, who has certainly been given lots of advice on the subject of accident avoidance at Talladega.

"Certainly we all have ideas how you avoid a wreck," Biffle said. "A lot of people say, 'Well, if you can stay at the front, that's your best opportunity to stay out of a wreck.' I was running third in a Nationwide race and Scott Riggs flew upside down across the hood of my car when I was running third, so I guess that didn't really work out. That wasn't the safest place to be, and yet I've been caught up in accidents at the back, so it is difficult.

"Some people feel the top is a safer spot than the bottom. I really don't feel like there is a better spot to be. Certainly, not being in the middle probably is a safer spot -- either the bottom or the top gives you an opportunity where at least you don't have another car there. On the bottom, there's nobody below you. It doesn't mean you can drive down there, but at least you're not gonna get hit from that side. I don't think there's any safe spot to avoid a wreck, but those are some things you can do -- not be in the middle, probably, and just really paying attention to what's going on around you and being prepared."