Edwards could clinch Busch Series title at Memphis

By SceneDaily Staff Report
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
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Carl Edwards will try to clinch the 2007 Busch Series title Saturday at Memphis Motorsports Park as the controversy about his relationships with his Roush Fenway Racing teammates swirls around him.

Edwards leads David Reutimann by 638 points heading into the Sam's Town 250 and can wrap up the title with an eighth-place finish. Edwards needs to lead by 585 points after Memphis to clinch the championship, which would be his first in NASCAR.

Edwards, who will also race in the Nextel Cup event at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, said this week he doesn't consider the Memphis race an "escape" and that he wants to improve his relationship with Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and other Roush Fenway drivers.

"I face things head on," Edwards said. "That's how I confront them, so I'm excited to go Sunday, and I'm excited about making things better on the Cup side.

"But for Memphis, that's an awesome race track. That's the first place I ever raced a NASCAR event in the big three series. I ran the Craftsman Truck Series race there in 2002, [and] that was my first NASCAR race with Mike Mittler. I finished [23rd] and had a blast, so I really like going back there.

"Last year I thought we were going to win the race, and at the end Kevin Harvick got by me, but, man, it was an awesome race, so I'm very excited to go back there and to be able to clinch the Busch title for as hard as my guys have worked on the Busch team, that would be great."

Edwards' season has been one of contrast. He won four of the first 15 races and led by 662 points after his win in Nashville in June. Since then, however, Edwards hasn't won and has finished out of the top 10 in 10 of 16 races.

"From the first half of the season to the second half, we haven't really performed that much differently," Edwards said. "We've had terrible results - starting at Kentucky, leading the race, dominating and being wrecked on a restart. Going all the way through Montreal, having a truck arm come out of the race car from hitting the curbs, and the same thing happened in a different way at Watkins Glen.

"Last [race] we had, I thought, the fastest car, and Jimmie Johnson of all people spun out at [Lowe's] Motor Speedway, and we ended up getting wrecked there. It's like the most crazy luck that's put us in this position.

"As a race-car driver, you always want to win races, so, personally, I'd be a lot more satisfied if we could go down here to Memphis and start back on our winning streak. That would be great."

Edwards will miss practice and qualifying at Memphis, as Matt McCall will help set up the car and then qualify the No. 60. That means Edwards will have to start at the rear of the field, as will the other four Nextel Cup drivers coming from Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"Carl will show up right before the race and start from the rear," crew chief Pierre Kuettel said. " It should make for a very exciting race for everybody."

Mentioned Drivers: Carl Edwards

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2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings

Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500

1 Jimmie Johnson 6248
2 Mark Martin -184
3 Jeff Gordon -192
4 Juan Pablo Montoya -239
5 Tony Stewart -279
6 Kurt Busch -312
7 Greg Biffle -340
8 Ryan Newman -402
9 Kasey Kahne -414
10 Carl Edwards -437
11 Denny Hamlin -448
12 Brian Vickers -556

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