Short day for Carl Edwards, Marcos Ambrose in Grand-Am Rolex Series race
Carl Edwards wrecked on the warm-up lap for Saturday's Grand-Am Rolex Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. // Sam Cranston, NASCAR Scene
MONTREAL – Carl Edwards’ first foray into the Grand-Am Rolex Series ranks ended before it could hardly begin.
Edwards was circling Canada’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course on the warmup lap for Saturday’s Montreal 200 sports-car race when a combination of rain and cold, slick tires caused his No. 77 Doran Racing Dallara to lose grip and slide off the track.
The incident ended the day early for Edwards and fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Marcos Ambrose, who had teamed up for the event and qualified eighth.
“Wrecked that early?” Edwards said. “That’s a new record for me. … What got me there is two things: These tires take so long to get grip and [are] so much different than what I’m used to. And I worked in the tires as good as I can. It started sprinkling just a little bit. And I just got a little too aggressive at a medium-speed corner, and it swapped [ends]. And I was at full lock. I feel terrible.”
Both drivers will compete in Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the 2.71-mile road course.
Max Angelelli and Brian Frisselle won the race. Nationwide Series driver Brendan Gaughan teamed with Andy Lally to finish second in the GT class. Lally will also attempt to qualify for the Nationwide race for JD Motorsports.
