Larry Mac: There Is No Way NASCAR Could Fine Or Suspend Edwards

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

DW on Keselowski/Edwards Incident: “You Don’t Race on ‘What Ifs’ –

It’s Between Two Drivers and No One Got Hurt”

Larry McReynolds on Edwards Probation:

“There is No Way NASCAR Could Fine or Suspend Him”

Ken Rosenthal: “Joe Nathan Injury Leaves Twins with Gaping Hole”

Following an offseason where NASCAR announced its “Back to Basics” approach, Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 incident involving Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski was a reflection of stock car racing the way it used to be. Edwards admitted he intentionally wrecked Keselowski sending the 29 car airborne as payback for knocking Edwards earlier that day. The dust-up prompted NASCAR officials to place Edwards on probation for the next three Sprint Cup races. NASCAR on FOX analysts Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds offered their thoughts on the incident:

DW ON NASCAR ISSUING PROBATION TO CARL EDWARDS: “I expected Carl’s punishment to be exactly what he got. The obvious question now is ‘what does NASCAR tell Brad Keselowski?’ You don’t race on “what ifs.” The bottom line is two cars were involved, two drivers were involved and nobody got hurt. It set a precedent. NASCAR says ‘this is a little bit more than what we intended for.’ The other drivers have told him ‘You’re becoming known as Bad Brad, and sometimes if you are known as Bad Brad something bad might happen to you and it did.’ So, maybe now lesson learned.”

MCREYNOLDS: “There is no way NASCAR could fine or suspend Carl Edwards. In mid-January NASCAR can’t make an announcement that says, ‘Boys we are taking the gloves off, we are going to let you race’ and then suspend the guy. I applaud NASCAR for their decision. A year ago they would have sat Carl out for a race or two, but we have changed our thinking and the way this sport is going to be done. Retaliation has been going on for years. It’s just that over the last decade NASCAR has tightened the reigns.”

DW ON EDWARDS’ INTENTIONS: “One of the bigger issues is the fact that the car went airborne. Edwards’ intention was to give the car a little tap, send it through the grass and ruin Keselowski’s day. I don’t know if Carl was mad or not when he went back out on the race track but he probably looked at the scoreboard and said, ‘The guy that wrecked me is running 5th, has a chance to win this race and I’ve been in the garage for two and a half hours.’ All of a sudden I think Carl had flashbacks of Brad wrecking him last year in Talladega and had pent up aggression from the wreck earlier in the day.”

ROSENTHAL: “JOE NATHAN’S INJURY LEAVES THE TWINS WITH GAPING VOID” – The news that All-Star Twins closer Joe Nathan is facing potential season-ending surgery to repair a tear in his elbow ligament couldn’t have come at a worse time says MLB on FOX insider Ken Rosenthal. Minnesota had enjoyed a productive offseason, re-signing free-agent right-hander Carl Pavano, adding shortstop J.J. Hardy, second baseman Orlando Hudson and designated hitter Jim Thome. “The loss of Nathan transforms the Twins from AL Central favorites into mere contenders,” said Rosenthal. “Short-term, the Twins simply cannot replace Nathan. The consolation for the Twins is that neither the Tigers nor White Sox figure to run away from them in the American League Central, a division that also includes two weak clubs, the Indians and Royals. Twins GM Bill Smith can wait until the July 31 non-waiver deadline, re-assess the state of his bullpen, then add someone like Padres’ Heath Bell at one-third of his current salary.” For more from Rosenthal, log onto:

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