Carl Edwards

Carl Michael Edwards, II (born August 15, 1979) is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing. He is the defending Nationwide Series Champion.

In the Sprint Cup Series, Edwards drives the #99 Ford Fusion that is primarily sponsored by Office Depot (other one-race primary sponsors have included: Pennzoil, Stonebridge Life Insurance, and the American Automobile Association). This year Aflac will sponsor the #99 in 8 races and Claritin will sponsor the #99 in a few spring races. His #60 Nationwide Series car, also a Ford Fusion, is sponsored by Scotts-Miracle Gro (and their brands, Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Ortho and Roundup), Dish Network, Citigroup, vitaminwater, and the World Financial Group.

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Carl Edwards Goes Airborne at Talladega, Criticizes NASCAR Restrictor Plates

Written by JJ on

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Claritin Ford goes airborne as Ryan Newman, driver of the #34 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet hits the wall at the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)more pics »For a split second on Sunday afternoon, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards tested the strength of the thick cables holding together the fence that serves as a barrier between cars and spectators.

While coming down the stretch to the finish line on the final lap at Talladega, Edwards was nudged by race winner Brad Keselowski, sending him spinnning through the air and wrecking Ryan Newman who had been following in 3rd place. Edwards' car hit the fence, sending flying debris into the grandstands. Seven spectators were injured, including one woman whose jaw was fractured before she was sent to the hospital via helicopter.

The incident has again raised debate over the safety of the ultra-fast 2.6-mile Talladega track, which along with Daytona is one of only two tracks requiring restrictor plates that limit the cars' top speeds and acceleration. Edwards said Sunday that the restrictor plates were partly to blame for the dangerous conditions at the track because they force drivers into dangerously large packs.

Carl Edwards (Getty Images)

Edwards climbed out of his wrecked car unscathed, but the incident bore eery similarities to the 1987 wreck of Bobby Allison. Allison sent his car flying into the same fence in front of the same grand stands at Talladega in '87, prompting NASCAR to introduce its now-controversial restrictor plate rule for the track.

"NASCAR just puts us in this box ... and we'll race like this until they kill somebody and then they'll change it," Edwards said after the race.

Here are more pictures and video from Sunday's crash

Carl Edwards, climbs from the #99 Claritin Ford, after suffering damage at the conclusion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)more pics »

Carl Edwards, climbs from the #99 Claritin Ford, after suffering damage during the final lap of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)more pics »

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Claritin Ford, runs to the finish line after suffering damage at the conclusion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) more pics »

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Claritin Ford, walks across the finish line after suffering damage during the final lap of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)more pics »

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