Records
Date Series Driver Speed
11/12/95 Sprint Cup Race Dale Earnhardt 164.00
3/20/05 Sprint Cup Qualifying Ryan Newman 194.690
10/25/03 Nationwide Race Greg Biffle 146.00
10/25/03 Nationwide Qualifying Greg Biffle 192.300
3/18/05 Camping World Truck Race Ron Hornaday Jr. 142.00
3/18/05 Camping World Truck Qualifying Rick Crawford 182.735
Location: Hampton, GA
Banking/Turns: Oval
Distance: 1.54 miles
Shape: Oval
Most Cup Wins (since 1975)
* Dale Earnhardt 9
Race Capsule
* What: Race 4 of 36 on Sprint Cup circuit
* Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, GA
* When: March 7, 2010 1:16 pm EST
* Laps: 325
* Track Length: 1.54 miles
* Race Length: 501.00 miles
* Purse:
-
Drivers to Watch
Kevin Harvick Harvick remains the points leader as the series heads to Atlanta, site of his first career victory in 2001 when he replaced the late Dale Earnhardt after he was killed in the last turn of the last lap of that year's Daytona 500. That is Harvick's only win at Atlanta, but he has four top-five and five top-10 finishes in 18 starts there. He was fourth last March and second last September and has three top-10 finishes in his last four AMS starts. "Atlanta, over the last few years, has just been one of those places that seem to fit everything that we do," Harvick said. "We have had chances to win there, whether it's been in a truck, a Nationwide car or our Shell-Pennzoil car -- we have had a chance to win there in anything the last few years. So hopefully nothing has changed. Atlanta has just always been really good to us. We go there expecting to be in contention for the win, and anything short of that will be a disappointment."
Clint Bowyer Bowyer has yet to finish in the top five at Atlanta, where he has four top-10 finishes in eight starts. One of those top-10s came in this race last March when he was sixth. In fact, all four of his top-10 finishes are sixth place, including three in a row from March 2007 to March 2008. He finished 29th last September. "Atlanta has been a good track for us," he said. "We've run up front, led laps before and had strong showings. But usually something happens at the end. The last time we were there, it was a disaster. Guys with a lot of dirt-track experience run well at Atlanta because that's what you're doing -- you're dirt-tracking at 200 miles per hour at a big race track. You have to get up on the wheel to make things happen but hold onto the car and don't let it get out from underneath you. Most of the time, you're really loose as the back end of the car is trying to come out from underneath you. It happens about every corner on every lap. It doesn't matter what line you're in; you could be on the white line or all the way up at the wall. Either way, you're loose all the way around the track. In order to be good on the long run, you have to be really loose on the start of it."
Mark Martin Martin is a two-time Atlanta winner, but both victories are ancient history. He won the November race in 1991 and the November race in 1994. He has 14 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes in an incredible 48 career starts. He was 31st last March and fifth last September -- the latter was his first finish higher than 22nd in his last four starts at AMS. "Atlanta has always been one of my favorite race tracks," Martin said. "The very first time I came here, I just felt good. It has the characteristics of a short track, but on a much larger level. There's an intensity to racing here, and qualifying is wide-open fast. Every time I've been to Atlanta I've had a great race car. Both races last year, we were real, real good. The tire, of course, bit us in the first race, but we had a car capable of winning. I'm sure we'll have a good car again this weekend. The guys on this team have given me great race cars in the first three races this year, and I know I'll have another one this weekend."
Matt Kenseth Kenseth is looking for his first Atlanta win but has seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 20 starts there. When he finished 12th in both of last year's races, those were his first finishes outside the top 10 there after a streak of five in a row. "Atlanta is a track where you not only race your competitors, you race the track," Kenseth said. "It's really high-banked and fast. You start off fast and the track gets slick, so you're always looking for a different groove and for more grip. The cars are tougher to drive and they move around a lot more than the old cars used to, so you want to make sure that your car isn't too loose in the turns. When the track gets slick, you've got to have a good-handling car so that you can change your points and get into the corners. I always have a lot of fun racing at Atlanta because it is always a challenge."
Jeff Burton Burton has never won at Atlanta, where he has just seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 31 starts. He was 14th last March and 34th in September, and his last top-five there came in the October 2007 race -- and yet he still likes the track. "Atlanta is one of my favorite racetracks," he said. "I really enjoy going there and I'm excited about running there this year. It's one of those places where I think we have a good shot of winning. To me, it's a great challenge. The difference between qualifying and racing there is so big. The track gets so slick during the race and becomes a blast to drive on. You have to get up on the wheel and drive the car. It's so much fun. As a race car driver, that's the kind of racing you hope for. The biggest challenge is the way the speed falls off so much. It's like the track has two personalities. You have to be aggressive and drive hard for qualifying and then, when the race starts, you race it like you used to race Darlington. The place gets really slick and real slimy. It's amazing the amount of grip you don't have there. You have to have a car that makes more grip than your competitors, and making the most out of that is what will put you in the winner's circle. Even the best-handling car there in the last few years has handled awful. So finding a way to do it better than your competition in a low, low grip arena will be the biggest challenge."
Joey Logano Logano finished 30th in this race last March and 22nd in September in his only two Cup starts at AMS. "Atlanta was a tough track for me last year, a lot like Texas," Logano said. "I tend to run better on tracks with a lot of grip, and Atlanta doesn't have any. I have gotten much better on them, so I am feeling better about this weekend. The track is so line-sensitive, and I struggled with that. It was frustrating. I'm looking forward to going back now and seeing how much we can improve from last year. Now that Zippy (crew chief Greg Zipadelli) and I understand each other better, I think it will be much easier to work on the car. Plus, I'm not spending time trying to figure out my way around the tracks anymore. We can unload off the truck and get right to work tuning on the Toyota."
David Reutimann Reutimann has just one top-10 finish, a fourth last September, in five starts at Atlanta. He finished 32nd at AMS last March. "I like Atlanta Motor Speedway a lot," he said. "It's a cool racetrack. It's pretty abrasive, so it's a little bit rougher on the tires. The cars slide around a lot and it can be pretty fun, especially if we have a pretty good Mitsubishi/Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota. The track is still really, really fast -- it's one of the fastest places we go. We've had some good runs there in the past." Reutimann's first pole came in the Truck Series at Atlanta in the second race of his rookie year.
Carl Edwards Atlanta is one of Edwards' best tracks -- he has three wins, six top-five finishes and eight top-10s in 11 starts. He swept both races in 2005 and also drove to victory in October 2008. He was third in this race last March and 37th in September. Since finishing seventh in October 2006, Edwards has five top-10 finishes, including three top-fives in his last seven AMS starts. "I can't wait to go to Atlanta Motor Speedway," said Edwards, whose car will have a special paint scheme to commemorate his first Cup victory there. "... The track is great. It's multi-grooved, fast, fun and has a lot of history. The fans there are awesome. The track is similar to Las Vegas, where we made significant improvements but we still need to work on it. This weekend means a lot to me and I can't wait to race there."
Tony Stewart Stewart has two wins and 13 top-10 finishes in 22 starts at Atlanta. In this race last year, Stewart came from two laps down to finish eighth. "At this place (AMS), that is hard to do," said Stewart. "That showed what a strong team and car we had that day. And if we can stay on the lead lap all day (this weekend), I am looking forward to a really good day."
Kyle Busch Busch has one win (March 2008) and two top-five finishes in 11 starts at Atlanta. "We ran well there when we won in 2008, but last year we struggled trying to get our car handling right and never really hit on it," said Busch. "I know Dave (Rogers, his crew chief) has been working hard on our setup so we can be competitive there."
Jeff Gordon Gordon will be seeking his sixth straight top-10 finish at Atlanta and his ninth in the last 10 races at the track. The last of his four wins at AMS came in the fall of 2003. "We've had some strong runs there recently, and we want to build on the strong run of last week," said Gordon, who will be racing a new car this weekend.
Jamie McMurray McMurray has four top-10 finishes in 15 starts at Atlanta. "We had a good car last week before the accident, so I feel good about this weekend," said McMurray. "We didn't have any trouble getting into the top 10 after starting 24th (at Vegas). So I think we are going to have a good car for Sunday."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt has one win, eight top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in 21 starts at Atlanta. The eight top-fives match his personal best at a Cup track. He also has that many at Talladega, Richmond and Martinsville. "We've always run pretty good at Atlanta, so I look forward to going there," said Earnhardt. "It's a fun track, and it's a fast track."
Scott Speed Speed has never finished better than 24th in three Sprint Cup starts at Atlanta. Speed, a former Formula One driver, made his first NASCAR start at AMS in a Camping World Truck race in March 2008. He finished 27th that day but returned in the fall to finish fifth. "Atlanta will always be special because of making my NASCAR debut there," said Speed.
Paul Menard Menard has one top-10 finish in seven starts at Atlanta, a seventh in his first Cup start at the track (the spring race of 2006). "I like Atlanta," said Menard. "It's wide and fast and it's a great track to race on, but right now I'd look forward to going just about anywhere."
Brian Vickers Vickers will be seeking his third straight top-seven finish and fifth top-10 finish in the last six races at Atlanta. "We are in need of a good run after last week in Vegas," said Vickers. "And I can think of no better track in which to rebound and run up front. Atlanta's been a good track for us."
Kurt Busch Busch is the defending champion for this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500. "Winning that race signaled to all the other competitors, the media and the fans that our team was for real and the 'blue deuce crew' would be contenders for more race wins and could be a player later on in the points battle," said Busch, who led six times for 234 laps in the dominating victory. "The way our season has gone so far this year, we sure could use another race like that this time around, too."
Bobby Labonte Busch is the defending champion for this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500. "Winning that race signaled to all the other competitors, the media and the fans that our team was for real and the 'blue deuce crew' would be contenders for more race wins and could be a player later on in the points battle," said Busch, who led six times for 234 laps in the dominating victory. "The way our season has gone so far this year, we sure could use another race like that this time around, too."
Mike Bliss Speed has never finished better than 24th in three Sprint Cup starts at Atlanta. Speed, a former Formula One driver, made his first NASCAR start at AMS in a Camping World Truck race in March 2008. He finished 27th that day but returned in the fall to finish fifth. "Atlanta will always be special because of making my NASCAR debut there," said Speed.
__________________
Rick
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Special Paint Scheme for Brad Keselowski's No. 12 Dodge Charger at Atlanta
Penske Racing Entry to Carry Dodge/Mopar®/FLO TV™ Scheme
Auburn Hills, Mich. , Mar 5, 2010 -
Brad Keselowski’s No. 12 Dodge Charger from Penske Racing will carry a special paint scheme featuring Dodge, Mopar® and FLO TV™ this weekend for the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS). Keselowski will be making his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at AMS in the No. 12 Dodge/Mopar/FLO TV Charger.
The all-red Dodge Charger will have all three partners – Dodge, Mopar and FLO TV – prominently featured in the paint scheme. The Dodge logo will occupy both rear-quarter panels while the Mopar logo will be positioned on the rear deck lid along with a FLO TV logo, which will also be featured above the rear bumper.
“We are the first automaker in the United States to offer live, mobile television,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer - Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. “We’re excited to team up with Dodge and Penske Racing to promote Mopar and FLO TV to the NASCAR audience.”
Dodge swept both Sprint Cup races last year at the 1.54-mile AMS. Keselowski’s teammate, Kurt Busch, is the defending Kobalt Tools 500 champion. In three Nationwide Series starts at AMS, Keselowski has one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
When Dodge returned to NASCAR’s premier series in 2001, the program included the sponsorship of two cars. That sponsorship continued through the 2007 season. This weekend will mark the first time the Dodge logo has held a primary sponsorship position on a Sprint Cup car since the end of the 2007 season.
Sprint Cup teams will have a 90-minute practice session at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. Qualifying gets underway at 6:10 p.m.
How FLO TV Works
Television signals are delivered through a dedicated multicast network built by San Diego-based FLO™ TV Inc., a live, mobile TV service provider, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. FLO TV offers live and time-shifted programming from top entertainment brands.
Content includes programming from ABC, ABC Entertainment, ABC Family, ABC News, Adult Swim Mobile, CBS, CBS College Sports, CBS News, CNBC, CNN Mobile, COMEDY CENTRAL, Disney Channel, Disney Channel Original Movies, ESPN, ESPNEWS, ESPN 2, FOX, FOX News Channel, FOX Sports, Fuel TV, MSNBC, MTV, NBC, NBC2Go, NBC News, NBC Sports, Nickelodeon, Playhouse Disney, SOAPNet and Speed.
The service is available in more than 100 major markets and many interstate driving corridors, however it is not available in some rural areas.
Audiovox Corp., of Hauppauge, NY, supplies FLO TV Auto Entertainment hardware that integrates with Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles’ existing entertainment systems and new Mopar 7-inch DVD screen systems. A small antenna, similar in size to a laptop mouse, is mounted on a vehicle’s roof to deliver the digital TV signal. Inside the vehicle, the receiver and wiring are installed under the interior trim of the vehicle and are not visible to occupants.
User-friendly wired and wireless remote controls allow viewers to easily surf channels, similar to TV systems at home.
Mopar’s live, mobile TV option includes a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty on new vehicles or a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty on used vehicles for hardware and installation. The suggested retail price is $629, plus installation. A one-year pre-paid subscription is included with installation.
About Mopar
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.
More than 70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929. A complete list of parts is available at Mopar - Authentic Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Accessories, Service & Parts.
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words Motor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960’s – the muscle-car era. The former Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “special parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division, called Mopar Performance Parts, in order to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.
About Chrysler Group LLC
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 from a global strategic alliance with Fiat Group, produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Mopar brand vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete effectively on a global scale; the alliance builds on Chrysler’s culture of innovation –first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925 – and Fiat’s complementary technology.
Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group LLC’s product lineup features some of the world’s most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler Town & Country, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Challenger and Ram 1500. Fiat will contribute world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small and medium-sized cars, allowing Chrysler Group LLC to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.
__________________
Rick
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Brad Keselowski, is racing in his first full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season behind the wheel of the #12 Penske Racing Dodge Charger. If that wasn't enough, the 26-year-old also is continuing to compete full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in his Number 22 Dodge.
It's somehow fitting that Brad Keselowski, a driver with deep racing roots, has joined forces with one of the most storied organizations in motorsports – Penske Racing.
Keselowski grew up in an environment where spending time at the race shop and the track was just a way of life. His father, Bob Keselowski, was a 1997 race winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His uncle, Ron Keselowski, competed at the Sprint Cup Series level in the early 1970s.
After establishing himself as one of NASCAR's rising stars with his success in both the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, Keselowski officially joined Penske Racing in September of 2009. He was named to drive for the team full-time beginning in 2010 behind the wheel of the No. 12 Penske Dodge in the Cup Series and the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge in the Nationwide Series.
As the newest member of the Penske Racing family, the team welcomed to its ranks the determined and skilled racer with an impressive pedigree in motorsports. As Keselowski gained some experience with the Cup Series Dodge Charger competing in the final three races of 2009 in the No. 12 Penske Dodge, it set the tone for what the team and the driver hope will be a successful 2010 season.
At the age of 14, Brad Keselowski made the transition from turning wrenches for his family-owned team, K Automotive Motorsports, to racing. He started competing in the Senior Honda 120 Quarter Midget division in 1998. In his first season, he earned six feature wins. The next year, he moved up to the Senior Honda 160 Quarter Midget division where he won eight feature races and the championship.
In 2000, Keselowski began racing stock cars in the Factory Stock division. That season, he collected nine feature wins as well as Rookie-of-the-Year honors at two Michigan tracks – Auto City Speedway and Dixie Motor Speedway.
During the next three years, Keselowski balanced his budding racing career with his full-time job working for his family's Camping World Truck Series operation. He advanced to the Limited Late Model and Super Late Model divisions and continued to rack up wins, despite competing on a limited basis. In 2001, he earned five fast qualifier positions, one feature win and five top-five finishes. Over the next two seasons, he collected 11 fast qualifier positions, two Super Late Model wins, two Limited Late Model wins and nine top-five finishes.
Keselowski graduated to Camping World Truck Series competition in 2004 as he drove the truck operated by his family's team for eight races. The following season, he ran the full Truck Series schedule. His best finish was seventh, which he recorded in February 2005 at Daytona International Speedway.
In 2006, Keselowski continued to gain more NASCAR experience as he ran a partial schedule in both the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series. He earned valuable seat time as he competed in 13 combined races – seven in the Nationwide Series and six in the Truck Series. That experience prepared him for 2007, when he caught the eye of Dale Earnhardt Jr., owner of JR Motorsports.
Keselowski entered the 2007 season expecting to compete full-time in the Nationwide Series for Keith Coleman Racing. But Keselowski had to alter his plans when the team suspended operations in June. Keselowski, who already raced in two Truck Series events earlier in the season, was given another chance later that month when Germain Racing needed a last-minute replacement for Ted Musgrave in the Truck Series race at Memphis Motorsports Park.
Though Earnhardt was aware of Keselowski's talent, he really became intrigued as he watched the young driver win the pole position, lead 62 laps and compete for the win that day in Memphis. But what struck Earnhardt the most about Keselowski was how he handled himself on the track, especially after being spun out with 10 laps to go by eventual race winner Travis Kvapil.
Keselowski still salvaged a 16th-place finish after the incident. The race was the turning point in Keselowski's NASCAR career. Realizing how much Keselowski had to offer, JR Motorsports signed the young gun to drive the No. 88 car in the Nationwide Series.
Keselowski made his debut for JR Motorsports in the July 2007 Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. He earned a 14th-place result – the first of eight top-15 finishes he would score during the season. Keselowski competed in 27 races in all, but earned his best results driving the No. 88 entry, recording five top-10 and eight top-15 finishes in 14 starts.
In 2008, Keselowski enjoyed his breakout season. He finished third in the Nationwide Series standings as he produced wins at Nashville Superspeedway and Bristol Motor Speedway in his first full season of Nationwide Series competition. He also earned one pole position, 11 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes. The promising racer led laps in 21 races for a total of 295 as he earned the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award for 2008. Keselowski also was chosen by the fans as the Nationwide Series' Most Popular Driver.
On Nov. 2, 2008, Keselowski made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Texas Motor Speedway, driving the No. 25 car for Hendrick Motorsports. He climbed from his 37th starting spot to finish 19th. Later that month, he made his second Cup Series start and finished 23rd in the season-finale at Homestead- Miami Speedway.
The 2009 campaign was a season to remember for the 25-year-old Rochester Hills, Mich. native. Not only did Keselowski capture four victories and two poles in the Nationwide Series, but he won the biggest race of his career when he took the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway in April, marking his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.
Over the final three Cup Series events of the season, Keselowski took over the reigns of the No. 12 Penske Dodge and he earned a top finish of 25th place at Homestead.
Keselowski earned four top-10 results in a total of 15 Cup Series starts in 2009. He once again was a force in the Nationwide Series as he finished third in the championship battle for the second consecutive season and he was also voted the Most Popular Driver in the series for the second year in a row.
In his first Cup Series full-season effort, Keslowski will race in both NASCAR's premiere circuit as well as a full-time entry in the Nationwide Series in 2010. The bar is set high for the up-and-coming star, but with Keselowski's emerging skill and determination, the sky is the limit.
"I am really excited about the 2010 season and what lies ahead with Penske Racing," said Keselowski, who resides in Mooresville, N.C. "Everyone has been working hard in the offseason and we are ready to race for wins and championships with both the No. 12 Penske Dodge and the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge teams."
Last Updated: Friday, Mar 5, 2010
Kobalt Tools 500
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Order Driver (No.) Car Qualifying Speed
1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) Chevrolet 192.761
2 Kyle Busch (18) Toyota 192.280
3 Juan Pablo Montoya (42) Chevrolet 192.106
4 Mark Martin (5) Chevrolet 191.814
5 Jeff Gordon (24) Chevrolet 191.774
6 Kasey Kahne (9) Ford 191.688
7 Ryan Newman (39) Chevrolet 191.549
8 Elliott Sadler (19) Ford 191.436
9 David Reutimann (00) Toyota 191.186
10 Carl Edwards (99) Ford 191.087
11 Kurt Busch (2) Dodge 191.054
12 Marcos Ambrose (47) Toyota 190.935
13 Greg Biffle (16) Ford 190.850
14 Matt Kenseth (17) Ford 190.791
15 Tony Stewart (14) Chevrolet 190.692
16 Jimmie Johnson (48) Chevrolet 190.640
17 David Ragan (6) Ford 190.574
18 Clint Bowyer (33) Chevrolet 190.561
19 Martin Truex Jr. (56) Toyota 190.548
20 Denny Hamlin (11) Toyota 190.424
21 Bobby Labonte (71) Chevrolet 190.267
22 Jeff Burton (31) Chevrolet 190.221
23 Paul Menard (98) Ford 189.987
24 Jamie McMurray (1) Chevrolet 189.915
25 AJ Allmendinger (43) Ford 189.857
26 Brian Vickers (83) Toyota 189.798
27 Dave Blaney (66) Toyota 189.590
28 Brad Keselowski (12) Dodge 189.571
29 Joey Logano (20) Toyota 189.189
30 Mike Bliss (36) Chevrolet 189.144
31 Max Papis (13) Toyota 189.112
32 Scott Speed (82) Toyota 189.079
33 Joe Nemechek (87) Toyota 189.060
34 Bill Elliott (21) Ford 189.021
35 Kevin Harvick (29) Chevrolet 189.015
36 Sam Hornish Jr. (77) Dodge 188.970
37 David Gilliland (38) Ford 188.341
38 Regan Smith (78) Chevrolet 187.958
39 Robby Gordon (7) Toyota 186.403
40 Travis Kvapil (34) Ford 185.430
41 Kevin Conway (37) Ford 184.812
42 Boris Said (26) Ford 182.916
43 Michael McDowell (55) Toyota 188.758
44 Aric Almirola (09) DNQ 188.066
45 Terry Cook (46) DNQ 186.121
46 Casey Mears (190) DNQ 187.678
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Rick
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Danger very much alive in NASCAR after weak slap at Carl Edwards
Tuesday March 9, 2010
NASCAR wanted to inject danger adrenaline into the sport; Carl Edwards delivered
The Edwards-Keselowski crash has generated more attention than Danica Patrick
Edwards' three-race probation ensures more dangerous on-track retribution
In the end, NASCAR got exactly what it wanted: The re-injection of danger -- and the specter of death -- into its sport.
Let's review. This past offseason, NASCAR announced it would no longer vigorously police the on-track behavior of drivers. If one had a beef with another, well, NASCAR said it would essentially turn a blind eye to whatever a driver did to achieve retribution. As Robin Pemberton, the vice president of competition, said this winter, "We will put it back in the hands of drivers, and we will say, 'Boys, have at it.'"
This brings us to Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Early in the event, Carl Edwards, a four-time winner in Atlanta, was bumped from behind by Brad Keselowski, which sent Edwards into the wall, wiping out any chance Edwards had of taking the checkers.
Keselowski and Edwards have a history. Keselowski sent Edwards airborne at Talladega last fall as the two charged toward the checkered flag. Edwards' No. 99 Ford soared into the catch fence and parts flew off his car like shrapnel, right into the front-stretch grandstands. A young woman's jaw was broken.
On Sunday, Edwards sat in the garage for the better part of an hour while his car was being repaired. In other words, he had plenty of time to think about what he wanted to do when he returned to the track. Once he fired his engine, he had one objective in mind: Wreck Keselowski.
Mind you, Edwards was 156 laps down at this point and Keselowski was running in the top 10. But once Edwards reached Keselowski on the track, he spent over a lap trying to get to his rear bumper to spin him. Once he finally did, a worst-case scenario unfolded: After Edwards nudged Keselowski's No. 12 Dodge, the car went airborne. It was a harrowing wreck, as Keselowski smashed into the catch-fence, the kind of wreck that can seriously injure or kill drivers and fans. No one was hurt, but someone easily could have been.
So what does NASCAR do to Edwards? Does the governing body suspend him for a race, for two, for 10? Fine him $50,000 or $100,000? Put him on probation for the rest of the season? Certainly in years past NASCAR would have dropped the hammer on Edwards, but not this year.
On Tuesday, NASCAR announced he would be put on probation for three races. That's it. Probation for three races. In the garage, this isn't even considered a slap on the wrist. It's more like a love tap with a wink, wink.
Is NASCAR doing the right thing? Only time will tell. But this is certain: NASCAR has received more publicity this week because of the Edwards-Keselowski affair than the sport did when Danica Patrick was making her stock car debut at Daytona. That is the entire point of the "Boys, have it" directive.
NASCAR's TV ratings and attendance figures have been sagging for the better part of four years now, and the governing body realized it needed to do something to inject the sport with a shot of adrenaline. For better or worse, mission accomplished.
Many national NASCAR writers and commentators have already, via Twitter and other means, labeled NASCAR's decision on Tuesday as one of the worst the governing body has ever made. I wouldn't go that far, but if I were king of NASCAR for a day, I would have put Edwards on probation for at least two months, which would have sent a warning to the other drivers. As it stands, no stern warning was sent, which will green-light more payback justice on the track.
The biggest winner to emerge from Tuesday's announcement obviously was Edwards. I've spent a lot of time with him during the last two years, and I can report that as long as he's in NASCAR, he will never -- NEVER -- back down to another driver.
Want to know why? Well, unlike almost every other driver in the sport, Edwards doesn't live in Charlotte, N.C., and instead makes his home in Columbia, Mo. He doesn't hang out socially with any other drivers. Generally, he avoids living in the so-called "NASCAR bubble" as if it's infected with the plague. And the reason is he doesn't want to be friends with other drivers because he doesn't want anything to cloud his judgment on the track. No one in the sport really knows Carl Edwards, which is exactly the way he wants it.
"I fought very hard to make it here to the Cup series, and if people don't show me respect, I will stand up against that," Edwards told me last year. "I believe you should treat people the way you want to be treated. If I don't get that in return on the track, then we'll have a problem."
Keselowski learned the hard way on Sunday. But based on what NASCAR said on Tuesday, the Edwards-Keselowski story probably isn't over yet. Yes, the element of danger is very much alive and well in NASCAR. The governing body has made sure of that.
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