Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards was made available to the media at Richmond International Raceway:
CARL EDWARDS, No. 19 XFINITY Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What did it mean to win the race at Bristol?
“That was really neat to win that race and it was a lot of fun. The way our team has been working together has been great and the win really just was kind of the icing on the cake. We’ve been doing great and we’ve been able to rebound from problems during the race, we’ve communicated well and we’re off to a great start. Now with the win, we can have a little bit more fun and get to go out and race for more wins. We really don’t have much to worry about and we have a license to go out and have a good time.”
What do you think of racing during the day versus at night and how the XFINITY Series has been recently?
“I think the day race is going to be really good. The weather forecast looks great. The track already just in this practice, changed a lot from the beginning to the end. It got really slick. I think that’s going to be good. I can tell you firsthand as a fan, I think the XFINITY Series has been putting on great shows. Last week at Bristol, I went up to the spotter’s stand to stand with Jason Hedlesky (spotter) to watch a couple laps of the XFINITY race and I stayed up there until the checkered flag. It was so entertaining. To watch Kyle (Busch) and Kyle (Larson) battle and then for Erik (Jones) to come through at the end like that, as a fan that’s the first full race I’ve watched in person in a long time. I think fans can expect to see more of that this Saturday.”
How much can you take from last year’s rain-delayed race during the day and use this weekend?
“Things change so quickly in this sport that I don’t know really that a year ago applies. This new, better lower downforce package, the tire I’m not sure how different it is, but it feels different. I don’t know the exact details of the differences, but it feels like we’re just going to have a lot more fun race and a lot more grooves. I’m not trying to sell tickets here, I’m just telling you I sat in that race car and that track is different now from where it was an hour ago. This thing is going to change a lot and I think you’re going to see a really great race. The day race, a little more sun, a little more heat and it’s going to be slicker and that just puts it more in the driver’s hands.”
What does it mean to NASCAR and to the competitors to have Tony Stewart back in a car?
“I don’t know about from the NASCAR standpoint, but from a competitor’s standpoint Tony (Stewart) is one of the fiercest competitors in the sport so to have him there and have someone to battle against is fun. I’ve really enjoyed racing Tony and it’s good to see him back in a car. I think he adds a lot and definitely makes it fun out on the race track.”
What is your opinion on the lugnut issue?
“I don’t know that I’ve ever had a wheel fall off, but where I stand on it is that my guys, they understand what needs to happen to keep me safe and to keep a wheel on a car. If my engineers and my pit crew agrees that its good enough then I’m okay with it. NASCAR can do what they need to do and I’m fine either way. In my experience, whatever they decide isn’t going to affect me on the 19 team.”
What are your feelings about the Drivers Council issuing a statement about Tony Stewart’s fine?
“I wasn’t even sure who got fined and I didn’t read the statement so I just can’t answer it. I’m not dodging your question, I just don’t know what was said.”
What do you feel is the role for the Drivers Council in representing you as a driver who is non-member of the council?
“Well the way I understand the RTA and the Drivers Council and NASCAR is that all of us – all three parts want to work together to provide the best racing on the race track and to do the best thing for the sport. It appears from my understanding of what’s happened so far and how things have gone it’s been working. That’s it.”
Will all of the Toyota drivers work together at Talladega like they did at Daytona in February?
“Man, I haven’t thought about that. We haven’t sat down and worked on our strategy but I can tell you this, Toyota teams really led by Denny (Hamlin), we worked well together. It was something like I’ve never been a part of. I don’t know if that same type of thing will work at Talladega but it’d be hard not to try. We’ve got a really good group that understands what teamwork is”
Is there a plan for your team now that you have the win to qualify for the Chase?
“If there’s a plan I don’t know it yet. We haven’t sat down and said, ‘Hey, now we can change this.’ But, we did talk a little bit this week and I mean our plan is still to come here and to win the race and to do all of the things we were going to do before we got the win but it just feels like some pressure is off and is a little more relaxed. I can already tell just with the changes Dave (Rogers, crew chief) made in practice and the way he approached practice he’s able to roll the dice a little more and not worry about making a mistake. When you’re racing for points when you don’t have the win you are racing for points and when you’re doing that you have to just be careful and now we get to really just go have fun. I mean, it’s Saturday night – or Sunday afternoon racing for us and we’re going to have some fun with it.”
With Dover being a Chase race will you focus on things for the fall race at the Dover spring race?
“Yes, now our focus is winning that championship so if there’s anything we can do to try to prepare ourselves for the championship better by trying different strategies or trying different setups or restart gears or whatever we can do we will try it. But, we’re never going to pass up a chance to go out and win races and Dover is one of my favorite race tracks so hopefully we can just go there figure out how to win both of them.”
