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Edwards Has Close Call at Memphis; Earns 27th Top-10 of Season

Memphis, Tenn. (October 24, 2009) – Carl Edwards and the No. 60 Save-A-Lot team had a wild run in the Kroger on Track For The Cure 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park on Saturday afternoon. The team again donned a special pink paint scheme to support the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the largest non-profit contributor of funds to breast cancer research in the world.  Edwards, pulling double duty in both series, did not make it for practice or qualifying, because of the logistics of shuttling from Martinsville Speedway; site of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup series race.  Edwards started in the rear of the field, but managed to work his way through the field, taking the lead on lap 166 and pulling away from the field, until a mishap with Brad Keselowski on lap 232 stifled any chance of winning the race.  Edwards was able to regroup and secure a solid sixth-place finish. Edwards secured his 27th top-10 finish of the season in Nationwide competition in 2009.

Edwards was determined to make his way to the front from the outset of the race.  Edwards gained 11 positions in the first 20 laps of the race and by lap 50 he was in the top 10.  The caution had flown three times by that time and the race was beginning to look like the wreck-fest from the event in 2007. Edwards pitted after the first caution on lap 26 for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.  He commented his Ford Fusion loose in the corners, but very fast.  Through the next four cautions Edwards elected to stay out on the race track, gaining valuable track position.  By lap 100 Edwards was in the third position, battling Mike Bliss and Keselowski for the top spot.  Edwards Ford was the fastest on the race track and he began to reel in the race leader, but the caution flew for the seventh time of the afternoon on lap 125.  Edwards got caught in lap traffic when the caution flew and was scored in the sixth position as he entered the pit stall for a track bar and air pressure adjustment.  Edwards exited the pit stall in the seventh position.

Green-flag racing resumed on lap 129.

Edwards blew through the field on the restart and secured the second position 10 laps into the green-flag run.  Edwards took the lead from Mike Bliss on lap 162 and checked out, but a four-car wreck slowed the action as NASCAR red-flagged the event due to an inordinate amount of debris and oil on the track.  When green-flag racing resumed Edwards continued to dominate.  He led a total of 65 laps, until Brendan Gaughan made a late race pass on lap 220.  The action was heating up between the competitors, but a debris caution flew again on lap 228.  Crew chief Dan Stillman ordered Edwards to the pit stall one last time for four fresh tires.

Edwards restarted the race in the fourth position on lap 232.  Edwards was making his way back to the front when Keselowski tapped him in the rear, sending his Ford Fusion spinning through the field.  Edwards suffered major damage in the door and rear quarter panel.  A quick pit stop allowed the team to patch up some of the damage.  Edwards fought his way back through the field after another caution and a green-white-checkered flag finish, salvaging an amazing sixth-place finish. 

“Our Save-A-Lot Ford Fusion was fast,” said Edwards.  “It’s a shame we got spun there at the end.   If that’s the way he (Brad Keselowski) wants to race I will race him the same way.”

The sixth-place finish leaves Edwards 215 points behind Kyle Busch in the Nationwide Series point standings.

About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating nine motorsports teams.  Five in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; three in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Ragan, Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Colin Braun; and one in the Camping World Truck Series with Braun.  For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto www.RoushFenway.com.  For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.

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