“We’ll race like this until we kill somebody”, those words are what Carl Edwards said following last April’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega, and after Sunday’s race at Atlanta, Edwards is lucky he wasn’t the one responsible for killing someone. After intentionally crashing Brad Keselowski with three laps left on Sunday, Carl Edwards’ actions and past record warrants nothing short of a suspension from NASCAR.
Carl’s suspension is warranted from past dangerous run ins, as well as Sunday’s incident. In 2006 at Pocono after being involved in a wreck caused by Tony Stewart, Carl spun Tony out on pit road during yellow flag pit stops. A move that could’ve injured someone had Stewart’s spinning car hit a defenseless pit crew. He followed that up later on in 2006 after a Nationwide Series race at Michigan. After on track contact sent Edwards spinning and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to victory lane, Edwards decided after Junior had taken the win under yellow to come back on track and slam into the side of Earnhardt’s car. The move could’ve ended Earnhardt’s career, because he had his hand out the window not knowing about Carl coming back to slam into him. That very well could’ve crushed Earnhardt’s hand. In 2007 Carl was at it again, almost punching teammate Matt Kenseth following a discussion after a race in Martinsville. In 2008 at Talladega, Edwards excessively bumped drafted teammate Greg Biffle setting off a 14-car crash that left many, including Kevin Harvick, fuming at Edwards. The following week the two got into a heated discussion and subsequent fight in the garage over the incident at Talladega. That brings us to Sunday’s incident at Atlanta. Without a doubt retaliation, but the fact of the matter is Keselowski could’ve been seriously hurt or killed, as could’ve spectator’s. Carl’s track record about dangerous situations speaks for itself. And it’s not the kind of attitude I would expect out of a new dad. Next time he should think about not only his family, but the other driver’s and spectator’s family too. It’s time to put a stop to Edwards raging before it ends up with someone on a stretcher in an ambulance.