Motorsports

Speed reading

By BRANT JAMES
Published August 26, 2006

SPEED READING

 Carl Edwards was fuming. One of Nextel Cup's most cordial drivers had been wrecked out of a race - albeit a Busch race - for the second time in a month and could barely contain his emotions. That Dale Earnhardt Jr. had punted him on a green-white-checkered restart made things worse.

But deep down, Edwards must have realized he was toeing a fine line last Saturday at Michigan when he confronted, then put his hands on Earnhardt. Even as Earnhardt was being uncommonly booed, he still commands millions of fans. Things could have gotten bad, and not just because Earnhardt's uncle and Busch crew chief Tony Eury Sr. was in position for a headlock. Edwards risked being jeered for the rest of his natural life had he messed with Earnhardt.

After being penalized and suspended, Edwards said in a statement, "Most importantly I apologize if I upset any of my fans or sponsors."

Luckily for him, he didn't upset a couple of million or so in red.

- A lot of outrageous things happen in Talladega Nights, many that would never happen at a NASCAR track. Among them: the No. 26 wins.

- Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway's 0.533-mile configuration has a way of doing a paint-shaker routine with drivers' moods, crumbling their poise like their fenders. Scores get settled and feuds arise. But as Kurt Busch - a five-time Bristol winner in 11 starts - approaches tonight's race needing a win, he says he's not worried about his most common foil: Kevin Harvick. Harvick, who nicknamed Busch "Rubberhead" years ago, has made fun of his cosmetic ear surgery and said he would make team owner Roger Penske look like "a fool." Busch and Harvick's collision in the Atlanta spring race rekindled a snipefest that had calmed, at least publicly.

"He likes to throw a lot of smoke and mirrors and he has to do that to cover up something of his heart," Busch said. "I don't know what he's got going on with me but I don't look around for him. I don't look around specifically for anybody."

[Last modified August 26, 2006, 02:01:08]