| | | | | |  | | CIA Stock Photo | Carl Edwards heads to the pits after an engine malfunction. So much for the three-peat. | | | | THIRD TIME NOT A CHARM | Edwards probably the one to beat (until his car fails) | |
| | The Associated Press Carl Edwards smokes as he leads the Kobalt Tools 500 auto race Sunday, March 9, 2008 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. Kyle Busch went on to win the race.
Carl Edwards had no idea why all that smoke was pouring from the back of his race car. He just knew it had nothing to do with the lid on his oil tank.
That was right where it's supposed to be.
At the end of a difficult week, Edwards made a strong bid for his third straight NASCAR Sprint Cup victory Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He was out front when something broke in the transmission with 51 laps to go, clearing the way for Kyle Busch to win the Kobalt Tools 500.
Even though Busch led more than half the race, the winner deferred to Edwards as having the best car on the track. Without the mechanical failure, he likely would have been in Victory Lane for the third week in a row.
"Whatever he's got, it's scaring us," Busch said. "Whether it's the car or the way he's driving, we've got to figure it out."
There was plenty of speculation that Roush Fenway Racing used shady methods to win the last two races after the No. 99 car failed inspection at Las Vegas a week ago. The lid on the oil tank was missing, which may have given the car an aerodynamic advantage.
Team owner Jack Roush insisted there was nothing intentional about the violation, but NASCAR docked the team 100 points and suspended crew chief Bob Osborne for six weeks.
Even with a replacement crew chief, Edwards was out front again until his engine failed. He was one of only two cars not running at the end, leaving him next-to-last in the 43-car field.
"I don't know what happened, but I know the oil tank lid was on," Edwards said. "I just appreciate the fans for sticking with us this week. It's been a long week with a lot of stuff said, but I think we showed them here today, other than something coming apart in the engine. I believe we had the car that was the class of the field."
| | Posted March 10, 2008 , 6:07 pm EST
Last Updated March 10, 2008 , 6:08 pm EST | | | | | | | | | | |
