Carl Edwards puts Richmond penalty row behind him
Carl Edwards says he has already got over his frustration about the penalty that cost him a shot at Richmond victory last week
The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup runner-up had a chance to bring a 42-race winless streak to an end at Richmond before confusion during the fourth caution.
Leader Edwards had yet to pit while most of his rivals had done so already, the majority going a lap down as a consequence. Once he pitted, the order set by NASCAR showed reigning champion Tony Stewart in the lead but there was conflicting information which had Edwards still leading.
When the race resumed, the Roush Fenway driver was black-flagged by NASCAR after officials ruled he had jumped the restart, getting up to speed outside the zone set for that purpose.
Edwards eventually dropped a lap down after serving his penalty and only managed a 10th-place finish after leading more than half the distance.
"Last week is last week, that is done and behind us," said Edwards. "There is nothing that I can do or say that is going to change it. That is last week."
Edwards said he had done everything in his power to have the controversial call cleared up after having discussed the issue with NASCAR officials.
"I gave my honest assessment of what I thought happened and how I felt about it," Edwards said. "I spoke with NASCAR and came to the conclusion that those actions are all that I can take. That is it. There is nothing else that I can do. I am satisfied that personally I did everything I could do and that is that."
Earlier this week, NASCAR's vice president for competition Robin Pemberton claimed that the misunderstanding had been on Edwards' Roush team, not on the officials' side.
"The confusion was on their part," said Pemberton. "That's something they have to work on in their communication. We work with the crew chiefs, and if the crew chief thought there was something, the crew chief would have radioed us.
"But multiple times during that last lap, it was repeated [that the order was] '#14, #99' [Stewart-Edwards] from more than one source."
Edwards last won a race in March 2011 at Las Vegas and he currently ranks ninth in the standings, right behind Stewart.
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