NASCAR Cup

Michigan II: Carl Edwards preview

Edwards Looks Ahead To Michigan, Completes First NEXTEL Cup Test at Kentucky Concord, N.C. (August 18, 2004) -- NEXTEL Cup rookie Carl Edwards turned 25 last Sunday and got the birthday present of a lifetime, the opportunity to pilot the No. 99 ...

Published: Aug 18, 2004, 10:05 PM

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Edwards Looks Ahead To Michigan,
Completes First NEXTEL Cup Test at Kentucky

Concord, N.C. (August 18, 2004) -- NEXTEL Cup rookie Carl Edwards turned 25 last Sunday and got the birthday present of a lifetime, the opportunity to pilot the No. 99 Roush Racing Ford for the remainder of the 2004 season. Edwards is currently chasing a Truck Series Championship in the No. 99 Superchips Ford but is also looking forward to his debut as a NEXTEL Cup driver at Michigan this coming weekend.

"I'm really looking forward to this weekend," said Edwards. "It's all kind of sunk in now and I'm just ready to get out there and go racing."

The No. 99 team tested at Kentucky Speedway for the first time Tuesday with Edwards at the helm. After many laps and different set ups, crew chief Bob Osborne felt positive heading into this weekends race.

"It was good to spend the time with Carl and get to know him as a driver," said Osborne. "I think his depth of knowledge is incredible and as the day wore on he became more in tune with what the car was doing and what needed to be done to make it better. Overall we had a good test and I think we look good going into this weekend's race."

Edwards felt the test was a success as well stating, "The test was a lot of fun." Edwards continued, "I like working with both Bob and the crew, they made me feel real comfortable. I think my fourth lap was the fastest of the day but overall I felt good in the car. It was a little different than the truck but as the day wore on I could pick a part the differences easier. The Cup car is definitely faster down the straights and it responds to changes differently than the truck does. All in all I had fun and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the year."

Edwards also felt a sense of relief upon completing his first laps in a NEXTEL Cup car. "I felt a lot better after we went testing," said Edwards. "It took away 90% of my anxiety. Now I feel like I do before a truck race, as normal as it can be that is. Bob's demeanor is very calm and collected, very similar to Cowboy's (Kevin Starland, crew chief No. 99 F-150). That made working with him easy and I think the transition will be much easier because of that."

In addition to his first start this weekend, Edwards will sport a special Green Lantern paint scheme in conjunction with the Justice League race weekend.

"I'm looking forward to having the Green Lantern on the No. 99 Ford this weekend." Edwards continued, "I was at the shop today and saw the car and it's pretty cool. Hopefully having a super hero on my car will give me a little more super power for this weekend's race."

Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; two in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Biffle, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Edwards. For sponsorship inquiries please contact John Miller at Roush Racing at 704.720.4600.

-RR-

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