Notes: Edwards expecting; Gordon's back is pain-free

CONCORD, N.C. -- Forget "Cousin Carl." Soon Cup driver Carl Edwards will be called by another name: Daddy.

The Roush Fenway Racing driver confirmed Thursday that he and wife Kate are pregnant with a daughter, the couple's first child.

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"We went in there for the ultrasound, the first one," Edwards said at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I had seen all the pictures of what the baby was supposed to look like. It was sitting there, and all of the sudden then she started moving, and I almost passed out. It was just wild."

Edwards said his wife's due date is mid-February -- just in time for next year's season-opening race.

"Perfect timing," he said. "We'll call her Daytona."

Gordon's back

Jeff Gordon is pain-free. The four-time NASCAR champion, who has been battling chronic back pain for most of this season, reported Thursday that he's experienced no recent discomfort, despite taking a hard hit in a crash at Watkins Glen two months ago.

"Everything is good," he said. "I haven't had any issues. The last little scare was Watkins Glen, and I didn't how long it was going to take to recover from that. I feel like I'm fully recovered from that, and I haven't had any back issues. I mean, it's still there. But I haven't had pain, I haven't had anything that's been too uncomfortable or any distraction in the car. So I'm happy about that."

That hasn't always been the case. Earlier this season Gordon had an MRI to try and pinpoint the source of the back pain, and then underwent injections in the hope of relieving it. He was in obvious discomfort after the crash Aug. 11 at Watkins Glen. He's been receiving electrostatic treatment and regular chiropractic adjustments during the week, and has begun incorporating some of that to his weekend schedule.

Busch's crew chief

Penske Racing is still searching for a successor to crew chief Pat Tryson, who is leaving the team's No. 2 car for Michael Waltrip Racing after this season. Driver Kurt Busch said Thursday that deciding on a replacement will likely be his call.

"Ultimately, it will probably be my decision," he said. "But we have great people at Penske Racing ... so if you throw all of us in the room together, I don't know how the process will work exactly. I'm sure there will be votes taken as to who are the key candidates and who do we want in that position."

Busch seems to have someone in mind. "I feel like I've got a good read on who I want and what I want as far as their qualities," he said. "There are a few guys who fit that. I can't mention any names. I don't want to steer in that direction. Right now the focus is on working with Pat Tryson."

Burton's milestone

Weather-permitting, NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton will make his 850th career national-series start in Friday night's Nationwide Series event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Burton, now 42, made his first start in a then-Busch race on March 13, 1998 at Martinsville Speedway. Driving a car owned by his father, the 20-year-old suffered engine trouble and finished last in the 28-car field.

He's done considerably better since then, winning 21 races in NASCAR's premier division.

"I have always wanted to do this since I was 5, 6, 7, years old," he said Thursday. "I look forward to being able to do it with really great people. It is a lot of fun. I still enjoy doing it. I love doing it, for that matter. Every driver says their goal is to do it for a long time. I have been real fortunate to drive a lot of good race cars and be around a lot of good people. I am real fortunate to get to do what I love to do. I am just real fortunate."