JGR driver: 'I really think that's the most dangerous thing'
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Carl Edwards was understandably frustrated Sunday afternoon after the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. His frustrations, however, were not just because a good day went bad in a last lap accident.
The veteran was concerned over the way his competitors navigated through his last lap accident – in some cases, seemingly failing to slow down at all while Edwards' hobbled No. 19 ARRIS Toyota lay vulnerable on the track.
Edwards, who had been among the front-running pack of cars much of the day, was running second with 38 laps remaining. With eight laps to go, he was a very racey 10th as the intensity and urgency ramped up and finally produced a last lap accident involving a half dozen cars.
"I thought we had a great run and then Casey Mears just spun me out going into (turn) one," said Edwards, who ended up 32nd. "That was frustrating. I was driving down here and I thought we were going to have a good run and I thought we'd get a top-five and as he pushed and pushed I was just hoping he would let go.
"I tried to save it and I have to apologize to everybody for my language on the radio – I was really upset as I was saving it. There were people going by 100-plus mph and they never checked up. I really think that's the most dangerous thing in the sport right now at these places."
Edwards said he planned to address the situation with the drivers he saw whiz by him and he seemed incredulous that the dangerous situation would even exist among the drivers at this high level in the sport.
"I was just really frustrated that I could spin out for a quarter mile over there and there are still people going by wide open," Edwards said. "Really, NASCAR does such a great job making these cars safe and these tracks safe that the biggest cause of injury is going to be one of us not checking up when there's a guy sideways.
"I mean, I have my door facing the field and the 51 (Justin Allgaier) car I think it was went by at about 160 or 180 mph. That's just not the way I try to race these guys when there's a wreck."
Edwards' Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth was among those that had to take evasive action and he was also, equally as stunned by the way the race ended and in particular the way some drove through the accident scene.
"I had to lift so I didn’t send Carl (Edwards) to the hospital," Kenseth said. "I'm just dumbfounded that NASCAR didn't throw a caution. We were driving past wrecked cars for half a lap at 180 mph – it was a crazy ending."
For Edwards, it's home to the Midwest this week – Kansas Speedway – to try again for that first victory with his new team. After looking so promising, Talladega ended up dropping Edwards a position in the Sprint Cup Series championship standings to 18th – two positions shy of the top-16 Chase cut-off but well inside the top-30 he needs to be should he punch that win-and-in ticket.
"Overall, great performance, but we didn't get what we wanted," Edwards said.
"We'll get this monkey off our backs and go win some races – Kansas is next week and I love that place."