Kobalt Tools 400: Carl Edwards Race Preview

Carl Edwards – NSCS LAS VEGAS ADVANCE

Team:           No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion
Crew Chief:   Bob Osborne
Chassis:       RK-739   This car last raced at Homestead, finished 2^nd 

QUOTES
Carl Edwards on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
“Last year was a huge weekend for us and I’m excited to go back.  I love racing at Vegas and it’s a fun place to go for the fans.  This will be our first opportunity of the year to run on a 1.5-mile track and to try the things Bob Osborne and everyone at RFR have been working on over the winter. It’s a huge event for us strategically on the schedule to build our intermediate program, which is obviously very important in our quest for the championship.”

Crew chief Bob Osborne on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
“Las Vegas has been a strong track for all the Roush Fenway teams over the years.  Carl has had success there in both Cup and Nationwide.  We’re taking the same car that ran well for us at several races last season, most recently Homestead where we led the most laps and finished second.  It would be a great to get back-to-back wins at Vegas for the No. 99 team.”
FAST FACTS

• CARL EDWARDS enters Vegas 10^th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings, 26 markers behind the point leader.  He has earned one top-10 finish and one pole this season.
• FOR THE RECORD… In seven starts at the 1.5-mile Vegas track, Edwards has two wins, two top-five and three top-10 finishes. His average start is 12.4, and his average finish is 11.0.  Edwards has completed every lap of Cup competition attempted at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and is the defending winner of this race.
• IN THE LOOP… According to NASCAR’s Loop Statistics compiled over the last seven races at Vegas, Edwards has turned 137 of the track’s fastest laps (fourth most), spent 1291 laps in the top 15 and led a total of 160 laps. Edwards’ driver rating is sixth best among active drivers.
• ON THE TRACK…The No. 99 will have an Aflac paint scheme at Vegas. The No. 99 crew will unload RK-739 which last raced at Homestead where Edwards led the most laps and finished second.
• REWIND, VEGAS, MARCH 2011… Edwards drove to Victory Lane for his first win of the 2011 season and the 19^th of his Sprint Cup career.  Edwards took the lead with 23 laps to go and pulled away from the field to cross the finish line 1.2 seconds ahead of second place.