Edwards Avoids Late-Race Accidents to Finish 14th at Talladega
November 2, 20098:20 AM
Talladega, Ala. (November 1, 2009) – After a wild ride during the spring race at Talladega, Carl Edwards returned with his No. 99 Subway Ford Fusion hoping for a better result. Edwards led a few laps early in the race, then fell back to avoid the inevitable multi-car accident which occurred twice in the closing laps. Edwards succeeded in avoiding the melees, but could only get as high as 14th when the checkered flag flew.
Edwards started 10th based on points since rain washed out qualifying on Saturday morning. He wasted no time moving to the front of the field and jumped up to second place by the first caution on lap six. He took the lead during the restart on lap nine which gave him five valuable bonus points. After leading two laps he was shuffled back in the pack and decided to fall back to avoid a potential accident in the large pack so early in the race.
The Subway Ford was handling well and the team made minimal adjustments throughout the race. Edwards drafted in the back of the field while keeping the lead pack in his sights. He told crew chief Bob Osborne that he planned to hang back until later in the race when it was time to go.
He was 25th at the halfway point, and was still 25th with 20 laps to go. With 10 to go he began to work his way back up through the field, but his progress was slowed by the first of two multi-car accidents in the closing laps on lap 185. Edwards pitted one final time for four tires and a splash of fuel to finish the race which was the right call as several cars ran out with the additional laps. The race was red flagged after his pit stop so safety officials could clean up debris scattered around the track.
The race resumed with a green-white-checkered finish on lap 190. Edwards restarted in 15th place and tried to get all he could in the final two laps. Before he could make much progress another multi-car accident occurred, which he was able to make his way through. The race ended under caution with Edwards in 14th place.
Roush Fenway Racing’s Jamie McMurray won the race, followed by Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton. Jimmie Johnson, Michael Waltrip, Brad Keselowski, Elliott Sadler and Bobby Labonte rounded out the top 10.
“It was pretty wild out there at the end,” Edwards said. “We got up front early and led some laps, so once we got those bonus points I didn’t want to run in a big pack that early in the race and risk getting caught up in something. We fell back and waited until the end to make our move, but when it came time to go my car just wasn’t as fast as it needed to be. We were lucky to avoid those wrecks at the end and get out of here in one piece.”
Edwards and the No. 99 Aflac team remain 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. Edwards now trails the leader, Jimmie Johnson by 437 points with three races remaining until the championship.
The eighth race in The Chase is next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway with the Dickies 500 on Sunday, November 8. ABC television and PRN radio affiliates will broadcast the race live at 2:30 p.m. (ET).
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