Carl Edwards goes from title contender to Chase spectator
Carl Edwards will be relegated to playing the role of spoiler in the 2012 Chase. (Getty Images)
Carl Edwards has gone from losing the Sprint Cup championship in a tiebreaker to missing the Chase completely in less than a year's time.
Needless to say, the Roush Fenway Racing driver isn't happy about the turn of events.
Edwards needed a miracle to make this year's playoff hunt in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. But it never came close to materializing with a 17th-place finish, dooming last year's title runner-up to Chase spectator this season.
"Yeah, this isn't about one race," Edwards said after Saturday's late finish in Richmond. "It is 26 races, and we just let too many points get away for a bunch of different reasons. There was a lot of luck involved, and everyone tried really hard.
"This is the fastest we have been the last six weeks all year, and I am proud of everyone for rallying around (crew chief) Chad (Norris), and (former crew chief) Bob (Osborne) included, for making the best effort we could. We will just go try to build the best team we can for next year and try to make sure a Ford wins this championship.”
During the 10 playoff races, Edwards will be relegated to playing the role of spoiler, which he doesn't relish.
“It makes it pretty simple for the last 10," he said. "We just go race as hard as we can. That has been kind of fun lately to do that but, man, I don't know. It is going to be wild to not be in the championship hunt. It won't be as much fun at all.”
With two other Roush teammates in the championship battle in Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle, Edwards vowed to do what he could to help the organization take the crown even if he can't be the one to bring home the Sprint Cup trophy.
“Just to be the best teammate I can be and to help them develop any setups they can and help them during practice," he said. "There isn't much I can do on the race track once the race starts. But before the race starts, I can help.”
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