TOYOTA NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)
Carl Edwards – Notes & Quotes
Watkins Glen International – August 5, 2016
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards was made available to the media at Watkins Glen International:
CARL EDWARDS, No. 19 Stanley Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What are your expectations for the Watkins Glen race?
“They did a really good job with the repave, all the curving and everything – there are no problem spots. It has yet to be seen how the tire will fall off and how the cars will run together, but the speeds are fast and we didn’t have any trouble. I think we’ll just try to go out here and qualify well and see how the race goes. You guys have seen tons of races here – these things can go any possible way. We really don’t know what to expect yet.”
Why don’t you race in the XFINITY Series any longer after having had your last victory at Watkins Glen?
“I ran both series full-time for seven years and it got to the point where we were battling for the championship in 2011, I was running off from the Cup car to go run the XFINITY race and I thought I needed to focus on the Cup car. So, that’s what I’ve done, but the road racing is so much fun and that’s why we came back and did that in the Subway car. I don’t want to run too many XFINITY races, the cars are different enough now I feel like it could take away more than it would benefit me, but the road courses I am definitely open to.”
What do you think about the decisions and process Dale Earnhardt Jr is going through to recover and get back on track?
“I’ve been pretty fortunate in my career as far as careers and everything. I can’t remember having one that really scared me. I will say the same thing that I said when Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) made his decision to begin with, I think that it takes a lot of guts to be able to do that, to say, ‘Hey, I need to do this.’ I think it speaks to him as a human being and I think it sets a good example to young drivers, like he said today. Guys that might feel like they are at a point in their career where they can actually speak up and say they have a problem. I think it’s a great example of doing the right thing.”
Do you enjoy the Olympics and is there an event you’d want to participate in?
“It would be bobsled, for sure. That looks like a lot of fun. My trainer, Dean Golich from Carmichael Training Systems, he is down there right now and he has some cyclists that he trains and I’ve been kind of talking with him as it has led up to the Olympics. He gave me a little bit of an inside scoop as to how much pressure there is. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of the Olympians and the mental side of it and the pressure and how much goes into that is spectacular to me. It’s like getting one shot at the Daytona 500 in your whole career, to make a racing analogy. For me, it’s very interesting to watch and see how everyone responds to that. I think it will be really great to watch.”
How much do you have to change from what you’re used to at Watkins Glen to be competitive this weekend?
“So, we changed the car a little bit. For me as a driver it did take me a little while. I don’t remember all of my old marks, I just remember there are new ones out there and took me a little while to kind of get my marks right. I ran over the curbs wrong a couple times. I found some slick spots on the curbs. That’s fun, it’s fun to show up at a place and have to catalog everything and remember where all the speed is. Hopefully I can remember tomorrow in qualifying. Right now I have it all in there.”
What did you think of Chris Buescher’s win at Pocono last weekend?
“I thought that was really neat. Bob Osborne and I won 18 or 19 races together and we’ve won there at Pocono. I talked to Bob last weekend a little bit. Just called him on Saturday or Sunday to check in and see how he was doing. He’s just an awesome guy and I’m really happy for Bob, really happy for Chris (Buescher). He’s an amazing driver. Bob and I talked a while back and Bob made a specific point four or five months ago, he said, ‘Chris is so good, people don’t realize how good this kid is.’ Hopefully they can get things rolling and get in the points and maybe put something together for the end of the year.”
What has changed since Boris Said helped you learn to drive at Watkins Glen in a rental car?
“So, a little perspective for you guys. My first time here, I didn’t even make it a full lap. I backed the 99 car right into the wall coming down the front straightaway. That was embarrassing. It was really embarrassing later while they were fixing my car I was talking to Casey Mears and shooting the breeze and he said, ‘You see that idiot out in that red and white car back it in the first lap that didn’t have a number on it?’ I was like, ‘Casey, that was me.’ So, to come back here after that test. I also crashed the 60 XFINITY car and Brad Parrott was my crew chief and he wouldn’t unload the backup car. He said we’re going to sit for a little while. He’s like, ‘At the current rate we’re going to be going home in about 30 minutes if we unload it.’ I was terrible here and Boris Said helped me a ton. Jack Roush used to have a program when Boris – he would call him to go for a day with young guys like myself who didn’t have any road racing experience. I talked to Glen Rein today and I told him, ‘Hey, here’s what Boris told me,’ and I kind of go through the list of things you have to do. So, yeah, from then to now to be fast here, to be at the top of the chart for a while in practice and have a shot at winning these races is a big accomplishment for me.”
