Carl Edwards

arl Michael Edwards, II (born August 15, 1979) is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing. In the Sprint Cup Series, Edwards drives the #99 Aflac Ford Fusion with Scotts-Miracle Gro for 6 races, Subway for 3 races, and Kellogg's and Cheez-It each for one race. In the Nationwide Series he drives the #60 Copart/Fastenal Ford Fusion/Ford Mustang with some sponsorship from Citigroup, Vitaminwater, Valvoline, and Aflac.

In front of 52,000, Carl Edwards and his No. 60 Aflac Ford won the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250, his 27th victory in 195 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. This is his second victory and 15th top-10 finish in 2010. This is also his third victory and sixth top-10 finish in seven races at Gateway International Raceway.

Finishing second, Reed Sorenson and his No. 32 Dollar General Stores Toyota posted his fifth top-10 finish in six races at Gateway International Raceway. It is his 11th top-10 finish in 2010.

In third, Trevor Bayne and his No. 99 Out! Pet Care Toyota posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Gateway International Raceway.

Paul Menard and his No. 98 Richmond/Menards Ford picked up a fourth place result with Steve Wallace and his No. 66 5-hour Energy Toyota rounding out the top five.

Brian Scott (sixth) was the highest finishing rookie.

Brad Keselowski leads the NASCAR Nationwide point standings by 168 points over Carl Edwards.

2009

Heading into the 2009 Nascar Sprint Cup Season, Carl Edwards will be sponsored by Aflac, Subway for three races, and Claritin for one race. The Office Depot sponsorship heads over to Tony Stewart and his Stewart-Haas team. Many media analysts expected Edwards to challenge Johnson for the championship.

In the #99 Claritin car, on the final lap of the April 26, 2009 Talledega race (Aarons 499) Edwards survived one of the most violent crashes in NASCAR history. Heading into the tri-oval with the lead, Brad Keselowski attempted to make the pass. Following this, Edwards came down the track and touched the right front side of Keselowski's car, sending him spinning. Edwards bounced off Ryan Newman, and flipped airborne into the catchfence. Edwards emerged from the car unharmed and sprinted on foot over the start/finish line to the cheers of the crowd. Eight fans were injured, the worst being a woman with a broken jaw. The woman was airlifted to a nearby hospital.[2] Edwards experienced another winless season in 2009 as his best finish was 2nd at Pocono Raceway.

Although Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Edwards finished 2nd place in the series and scored 5 wins, finishing 210 pts. behind the leader.

[edit]Other Racing

On June 6, 2007, Carl won the 2007 NEXTEL Prelude to the Dream at the Eldora Speedway. The Prelude is a dirt late model race organized in part by Tony Stewart, owner of Eldora, to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp and other worthy causes. Over 20 NEXTEL Cup drivers participated in the heat races and 30-lap feature, along with other drivers from different forms of motorsports. Edwards started second in the feature and held off Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon to win.

Edwards participated in the 2008 Race of Champions, partnered by Tanner Foust. While in the individual event Edwards faced 7-time Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher and defeated him. In the next round, however, Edwards was defeated by eventual runner-up David Coulthard.

[edit]Personal life

Edwards is a first cousin once removed to fellow NASCAR driver Ken Schrader, who furiously told Edwards early in his racing career to get dirt track experience before going to Cup; he would later take the advice. In light of this relationship, Edwards is often referred to as "Cousin Carl." Edwards would give a business card to other teams for his services before getting a ride with Roush Racing.

Off the track, Carl has been busy promoting his new record label, Back40 Records, a company he started with a high school friend back in Columbia, Missouri.[3]

During the week of the Auto Club 500, Edwards participated in taping of the Fox television series 24, where he played Homeland Security Agent Jim Hill.

It has been rumored that he is the cousin of Buffalo Bills Quarterback Trent Edwards. During an interview with Dave Hollander of AOL Sports [4], Hollander asked if Carl's cousin Trent Edwards had the same allergies as he did. After Carl replied that, "My old cousin Trent...he probably has the same kind of stuff I do," Roush Fenway Racing Senior Account Manager Randy Fuller said he didn't know that Trent Edwards was Carl's cousin. In response to Fuller, Edwards said, "He's not. I’m just rollin’ with it."

Edwards also appeared on The Price Is Right, where he presented both Showcases on the November 10, 2009 episode. The Showcases were NASCAR-themed, with a trip to the Coca-Cola 600 and a Camping World trailer featured in one Showcase, while the other featured the debut of a new garage door prop for the "ultimate garage" Showcase that featured tools and a hybrid version of his Ford Fusion racer.

Edwards is a known fan of professional wrestling, specifically WWE, and wrestler John Cena is one of his closest friends. He guest hosted on WWE Monday Night RAW on February 8, 2010.

On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Edwards' wife gave birth to their first child, Anne Katherine Edwards, at 12:44 pm CT in Columbia, MO. She was 8 lbs 4 oz