Carl Edwards Will Be A Threat In The Chase
By Cole Mentzel
Carl Edwards is one driver in the Sprint Cup Series that has flown under the radar this season. He may not be having the most appealing year out there right now but he is doing enough to be considered a real threat once the Chase starts. Despite only nine top 10 finishes this season, Edwards has claimed the victory in two of NASCAR’s most iconic races: The Coca-Cola 600 and the Bojangles’ Southern 500.
His results were not great at the beginning of the season and he ended up not getting his first top 10 until he won at Charlotte. In recent weeks at Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol, he has looked like a contender and his season seems to be peaking at just the right time.
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One aspect of his season that cannot be overlooked is the difficulty of the two races that he won. Both have been grueling, near-4 hour races where he slipped ahead in the last 10-20 laps to grab the victory. The point that needs to be made is that he seems like he will be a major player in the longer races during the Chase.
One big reason why you won’t be able to count Edwards out this fall is because of his move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing this past offseason. Though Edwards had a long run with Roush Fenway, it was obvious that he needed new scenery and Joe Gibbs has proved to be the perfect place for him. Besides having overall better drivers, JGR has positioned itself to compete with Hendrick Motorsports in the Chase.
All fours Gibbs drivers (Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch) have at least one win this season and are in the Chase while only two Hendrick drivers (Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.) have clinched their spot. Carl Edwards finally has the system necessary to make a run at a Championship since his devastating second place finish to Tony Stewart in 2011.
With a few tracks that he races well at in the Chase and one that he has already won at this season, Edwards is set up to potentially have a very deep run in the Chase this year. His crew chief, Darian Grubb is one of the best at what he does and he has had an influence on Edwards’ racing.
One more reason to be excited about his chances in the Chase this season is that his experience will finally be supported by more drivers with similar experience. All Joe Gibbs drivers, and particularly Matt Kenseth have been to the Chase and understand what it takes to contend for a Championship, like Edwards. It will be a lot easier for him to compete while he is in a winning environment rather than being around drivers who either aren’t in the Chase or rarely ever make the Chase.
Overall, Edwards, though he hasn’t finished in the top 10 often, is in a great position. He has wins this season and winners around him to support him during the biggest stage in NASCAR. His racing lately has looked like that of a Championship contender’s and he has stayed away from penalties and wrecks. Carl Edwards has a great opportunity coming in the following weeks and he will capitalize on it.