The more I see Edwards....

[LMITOUT]

I'm sure glad something happened at Atlanta to give everyone something to discuss the next 10 days, because not much was worth talking about after those two duds on the west coast.

[smnduck]

I love it. Most of the guys racing now days are a bunch of pansies. Pretty boring watching the (IROC) eh em COT race. Purposly wrecking some one is wrong like Eddy did but then look at how many time #3 did it.

[gregg52]

i didnt say his gloves were going in the right direction

i know he took him out on purpose...daaaaaaa

but had he not gone in the air this thread wouldnt be 7 pages deep

bk was going to get sooner or later it's the same as hamilin taking him out last yr but he didnt go in the air..how long was that thread

whats the difference..it was a nationwide race

and i know how many laps he was down really has nothing to do with

[Juneau4]

The Polack is a Kyle B. of the past If someone would have taken him out then(The chrome horn) as some of you stated that should be done. Yipee! Now that happens to someone that also needs it, some get upset and blame the driver that did it. That's what NASCAR wants.

[Sifty]

i didnt say his gloves were going in the right direction

i know he took him out on purpose...daaaaaaa

but had he not gone in the air this thread wouldnt be 7 pages deep

bk was going to get sooner or later it's the same as hamilin taking him out last yr but he didnt go in the air..how long was that thread

whats the difference..it was a nationwide race

and i know how many laps he was down really has nothing to do with

I told myself I was going to stay out of this one and should have.

If you can't see the problem with a car being 100 plus laps down taking out a top ten car.... so be it.

Sifty

[slipbobbin]

Doesnt get the point across if BK didnt have as much to lose and Edwards did. All 100+ laps down shows was what his intent was when he came back on the track.

[&JAG]

Edwards is a butthead anyway... Let the games begin, I can't wait till Harvick goes after old Carl for last years confrontation Oh never mind, Eddy ended up on the hood of Kevin's car in the garage for talking trash last year. I guess that's why he has to use his car, not so tough after all!

[gregg52]

laps DOWN thats the whole point for petes sake if edwards had been runnin in the top 10 do you think he woulda chanced (maybe i doubt it)

go back threw threw the races it has happen plenty of times

nuttin to lose that the whole point !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

99...bad points 12....bad points..we're even......lol

i dont care for it at those speeds but other wise thats racin !!!!!!

[slipbobbin]

Exactly gregg52

[Big Dave2]

laps DOWN thats the whole point for petes sake if edwards had been runnin in the top 10 do you think he woulda chanced (maybe i doubt it)

go back threw threw the races it has happen plenty of times

nuttin to lose that the whole point !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

99...bad points 12....bad points..we're even......lol

i dont care for it at those speeds but other wise thats racin !!!!!!

But what was Edwards retaliating for?

[Sifty]

laps DOWN thats the whole point for petes sake if edwards had been runnin in the top 10 do you think he woulda chanced (maybe i doubt it)

go back threw threw the races it has happen plenty of times

nuttin to lose that the whole point !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

99...bad points 12....bad points..we're even......lol

i dont care for it at those speeds but other wise thats racin !!!!!!

Nothing to lose..... if NASCAR had the balls they would have sat him for the next race!

Then he would have had something to lose.

Sifty

[gregg52]

i guess he though that the early incident was the 12's fault that put him all those laps down ...i guess thats another discussion

nascar cant change the rules every week for every driver or wreck

they set the tone for the season now they hafta live with it

again had he not gone in the air it would be history tue after the race

imo bad decision at those speeds air or not

[Uncle Bill]

But what was Edwards retaliating for?

After Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski incident, paybacks on the track are more acceptable, NASCAR drivers say

By Bob Pockrass

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Now that drivers have seen how NASCAR responded to the Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski incident at Atlanta, they at least have an idea of what NASCAR officials meant when they said earlier this year that they were going to loosen the reins on drivers.

Edwards was parked by NASCAR for the remainder of Sunday’s race and placed on three weeks probation for retaliating against Keselowski by intentionally wrecking him at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Edwards went after Keselowski after Keselowski hit him earlier in the race and following a series of incidents between the two drivers in the past year, including last year’s wreck at Talladega in which Edwards’ car flew into the fence.

How drivers respond to NASCAR’s new rules in the future remains to be seen. Though they must be careful not to cause the type of frightening wreck as Edwards, who sent Keselowski’s car airborne and flipping into the outside wall, they know now that a little more payback may be acceptable when they feel they have been wronged on the track.

Drivers have been suspended and fined in the past for retaliation or showing anger on the track.

“It’s a different era from when I got in trouble,” Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick quipped during Martinsville Speedway’s media day at RCR on Wednesday. “I wish I would have gotten in trouble now because it would have been a lot cheaper. But that’s what it is and as long as the consistency is there, I think everybody is good with it.”

Drivers might be OK with the idea of paybacks, but they don’t expect to see drivers taking each other out at high-speed, 1.5-mile tracks all that often.

“There’s a ‘too far’ in everything, and that was too far, bottom line, simple as that,” said RCR driver Clint Bowyer. “Was it too far in my opinion? Yes. Was it the wrong place to do it? Yes.”

Drivers say they don’t expect to drive any differently, but will likely think twice about roughing up another driver or getting too aggressive.

RCR driver Jeff Burton said he wasn’t surprised by NASCAR’s response to the Atlanta incident, but isn’t sure how that will impact racing in the future. He said Keselowski’s accident was scary.

“We talk about having better racing and we talk about having more aggressive racing – that’s not racing,” Burton said. “That’s not the definition of racing. That’s anger and trying to stand your ground, that’s what that is.”

Michael Waltrip Racing’s David Reutimann said drivers know when they have pushed too hard and angered another competitor, and that it happens more often than most people realize.

“Just because you don’t see it or just because it doesn’t have the outcome that it did like Sunday, that stuff happens, and it happens fairly regular, sometimes within a lap or two of each other,” Reutimann said. “Sometimes you guys just only see the bigger stuff. … I don’t think it’s going to open up anything.

“I just think it’s going to be a situation where we all need to take pretty good care of each other on the race track.”

Reutimann said he knows of drivers who probably feel like they need to pay him back for something that happened last year.

“Regardless if you go down there and talk to those guys and say you’re sorry, that’s all fine,” Reutimann said, “But chances are, you’ve got something coming. … You do all the apologies and do all that stuff, but in the back of your mind, you know, you’re like, ‘Well, if those guys hammer on me or something happens, I brought it on myself; I’ve got it coming.’

“[You] deal with it, suck it up, deal with it, and know at least after the fact, at least you’re even at that point and you shouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Burton agreed.

“I don’t think anything has changed,” Burton said. “For me, what comes out of all that is that you have to remember there is a consequence for your actions. … It’s pretty clear to me that if I run into the corner and I knock somebody out of the way, [there’s] a real good chance I either have to get the hell out of their way the next corner or they’re coming back at me.

“And I’m OK with that. But I think drivers need to be smart, and what happened Sunday wasn’t smart.”

Drivers said they expect that Edwards’ retaliation will have an impact on Penske Racing’s Keselowski.

“We’re all big boys with fast toys and he sent a message to Brad. That’s what the intent was and he sure sent it loud and clear,” JTG Daugherty Racing’s Marcos Ambrose said Tuesday at the tire test at Darlington Raceway. “I’m pretty sure Brad is thinking about that this week. I’m pretty sure that’s all he’s thinking about because he’s come into the sport with a bang. … Brad’s got a typhoon running behind him.

“NASCAR opened it up, and it has been that way for a long time where the drivers have sorted it out.”

Keselowski, who drew the ire of Edwards, Denny Hamlin and other drivers last year, will have deal with the repercussions of his aggressive tactics, drivers said.

“The bottom line is two cars were involved, two drivers were involved and nobody got hurt,” Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip said. “It set a precedent. NASCAR says, ‘This is a little bit more than what we intended for.’ They don’t have to tell Brad anything.

“You are going to tell Brad the same thing these other competitors have told Brad: You’re becoming known as ‘Bad Brad,’ and sometimes if you are known as Bad Brad something bad might happen to you, and it did. So, lesson learned.”

Burton said that while Keselowski is learning the hard way to respect other competitors, no one is asking him not to be aggressive.

“I don’t think he’s doing a good job of stepping back, learning from the situation and figuring out how to do it better versus having his feet dug in the sand saying, ‘This is how I’m always going to do it.’ … Brad needs to find a way to mend some fences,” Burton said. “But he also needs to stay aggressive.

“He needs to stay in the mindset that [he’s] there to win. It’s a balancing act. He needs to tip a little more to the conservative side to find that balance because he’s found the limit.”

Keselowski’s reputation now will make drivers believe that he is being too aggressive or disrespectful even when he’s not, Burton said.

“Brad’s got to learn that he doesn’t have to prove to the world that he is a tough guy,” Burton said. “He’s made the decision that he’s not going to cut anybody any slack. He’s made the decision that he’s going to race aggressively all the time. Those are the decisions he’s made and he’s going to have to live with the consequences of that.

“There’s nothing wrong with giving a little bit. And there’s nothing wrong with taking a little bit. But if you’re going to only take, then you’re going to come out on the short end of the stick more times than not.”

[Big Dave2]

All I am asking is for you to name the other incidents. As far as I can see the incident at Atlanta this year and the incident at Talladega last year were both caused by Carl Edwards. If there were more incidents between these two drivers, how come no one can name them? The only ones that keep coming up are Atlanta and "Dega.

[Juneau4]

Look at the Nation wide series! Both drive in them and it carries over.

[LMITOUT]

Keselowski vows not to change after Edwards crash

By JENNA FRYER, AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Glued to Carl Edwards’ bumper as they raced for the lead around Talladega Superspeedway, young Brad Keselowski showed no signs of letting off the gas pedal. He peeked high, and Edwards cut him off, then ducked low to try to pass.

Edwards, the veteran, quickly swerved down to block the pass, a move that guaranteed disaster if Keselowski didn’t back off. In the blink of an eye, Keselowski found himself in high-stakes game of chicken at speeds approaching 200 mph.

The rookie refused to blink.

He didn’t give an inch. Nothing slowed Keselowski that day last April, not even after the inevitable contact sent Edwards’ car sailing into the safety fence in a frightening accident that injured seven fans.

Keselowski just barreled on, stealing an improbable victory in just his fifth career start in NASCAR’s prestigious Sprint Cup Series.

Looking back now at those intense two minutes, Keselowski was clearly sending a message to his established, experienced competitors: he won’t back down to anyone, ever. That mentality has rankled a long list of top-name drivers, and finally came to the fore last weekend in Atlanta when Edwards, exasperated over a long list of hard racing between the two, intentionally wrecked Keselowski in contact that sent Keselowski airborne in a scene quite similar to the one in Talladega.

For all the public outrage over Edwards’ deliberate act, there was an equal amount of private sentiment that Keselowski had it coming.

Keselowski is well aware of the whispers, but remains unapologetic for anything he’s done that’s gotten him to his prime-time Cup ride with auto racing icon Roger Penske.

“It’s not possible to get a Cup ride right now without being aggressive, and without having some swagger in your step,” Keselowski said. “Does that make you a jerk? To some people, yes. To some people, no. It depends on where you’re coming from. If you look at the sport right now, there are no new drivers coming in.

“So whatever I’m doing is working, and it’s gotten me to where I’m at.”

The son of 1989 ARCA champion Bob Keselowski grew up in Rochester Hills, Mich., and entered NASCAR Truck races from 2004 through 2006 with his father’s backing. He picked up a couple Nationwide Series starts for an underfunded team in 2006 and early 2007, before his big break came midway through that season when Dale Earnhardt Jr. plucked him from obscurity to drive his flagship No. 88 for JR Motorsports.

That, says three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip, was the game-changer for Keselowski.

“Driving for Dale Jr. gave him privileges that he wouldn’t have had if had driven for someone else,” Waltrip said. “That Earnhardt connection allowed him to become ‘Bad Brad.’ Those few years gave him time to create this character that he’s Bad Brad. Well, if you are Bad Brad, you are going to make some people mad.”

Finally in good equipment, Keselowski bulldozed his way to six Nationwide wins over two-plus seasons with a hard-driving style that impressed car owners but annoyed rival competitors.

“He’s very openly outspoken and cocky about what his intentions are,” said Fox analyst Larry McReynolds. “He has no problem racing people hard, and if they don’t like it, then they are going to have a problem. The thing to remember, though, is most of these drivers are complaining about Brad racing them hard. You’ve got to be kidding me! You are supposed to be racing hard.

“The greats—Dale Earnhardt, Pearson, Petty, Allison—those sons of a guns ran hard from the green flag to the checkered flag and that’s exactly what Brad is doing.”

Those running bumper-to-bumper with him each week disagree. There’s a finesse required in racing, a certain give-and-take that earns you both respect and the on-track friends a driver needs to be successful.

Keselowski, most believe, doesn’t have it. At least not when it comes to racing against Cup drivers.

He did it full time for two years in the Nationwide Series, refusing to back down when the likes of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Edwards and Clint Bowyer moonlighted in that series and stole the headlines from the guys like Keselowski who were just trying to get noticed.

Hamlin became the first driver to publicly vow to retaliate. At wits end late last season after a monthslong feud with Keselowski over his driving style, Hamlin promised payback in the Nationwide Series finale. He made good on his word with an early spin at Homestead, and received a standing ovation from crews along pit road when he passed by to serve a rough driving penalty.

Behind the scenes, drivers figured Keselowski would see more and more of that retaliation this season as he moved into a full-time Cup ride with Penske.

Jeff Burton, one of the most respected and cleanest drivers in the garage, understands the disdain for Keselowski’s tactics.

“Brad has got to learn that he doesn’t need to prove to the world that he’s a tough guy,” Burton said this week. “He’s made the decision that he’s not going to cut anybody any slack. He’s made the decision that he’s going to race aggressively all the time. Those are the decisions he’s made, and he’s going to have to live with the consequences of that.

“There’ nothing wrong with giving a little bit, and there’s nothing wrong with taking a little bit. But if you’re going to only take, then you’re going to come out of the short end of the stick more times than not.”

And that’s where Keselowski currently finds himself. Cup drivers aren’t cutting him any slack, and his transition to the big leagues hasn’t been all that smooth. He heads into next weekend’s race at Bristol ranked 33rd in the standings and in serious danger of falling below the important top-35 mark that guarantees him a spot in the field.

Although his ardent fan base—inherited largely by driving for Earnhardt— insists he’s gotten a bad rap and hold him up as an example of the closest thing to their former idols: a hard-nosed racer who doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him.

Waltrip, who made his share of enemies during a 29-year career, isn’t sure how long that’s going to work for Keselowski.

“He’s said, ‘I don’t care what the other competitors think about me,’ and he’s going to learn that puts you out on an island,” Waltrip said. “You can’t survive in this sport out on an island. People will get tired of you and your attitude and they will turn you over. They will turn you over every week.”

For his part, Keselowski says to bring it on, even after his upside-down tumble courtesy of Edwards.

It doesn’t matter what anyone does to him, he said, he’s not planning to change a thing.

“That’s probably the best revenge there is—to not let it get to me one bit, to not change,” Keselowski said. “That’s a sign to (Edwards) and everyone else that that’s not going to work on me.

“I feel lucky to be in race cars that are as safe as they are, to be able to be here talking today and to be able to say, ‘Hey, I’ll take the lick and I’ll get out of the car and come back the next race weekend and drive just as hard,’ just to prove a point that I wasn’t wrong and I still don’t feel like I’m wrong.”

[LMITOUT]

Keselowski “Won’t Back Down” at Bristol

Mar 17, 7:03 pm EDT

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP)—Brad Keselowski chose “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers as his song selection for driver introductions Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The song choice is a clear message from Keselowski, who has vowed not to change the aggressive driving style that has gotten him to NASCAR’s top level but also angered several veterans. Sunday will be Keselowski’s first Sprint Cup Series race since he was intentionally wrecked at Atlanta two weeks ago by Carl Edwards as payback for an earlier accident.

Edwards, meanwhile, selected “Black Betty” by Spiderbait for his song selection.

Bristol started the practice last summer of allowing drivers to pick their introductory music, and the idea was wildly popular for the participants and the fans. Many drivers have created opportunities over the past month for fans to vote on their song selection.

[Giant_Jackpot]

The Polack is a Kyle B. of the past If someone would have taken him out then(The chrome horn) as some of you stated that should be done. Yipee! Now that happens to someone that also needs it, some get upset and blame the driver that did it. That's what NASCAR wants.

Getting in a little late on this discussion but I have to agree with Juneau on this one. NASCAR loves this stuff Have you been to the NASCAR web site this week? They are actually promoting the feud between Carl and Brad. It's a banner add right at the top and clicking on it takes you to their Track Pass Race View page where they are trying to sell you something. I don't think the NASCAR execs told Carl to go and wreck Brad but they all smiled when it happened. It's all about the money boys. Don't forget it.