Just about everyone was a little puzzled when the yellow lights flashed around the Bristol Motor Speedway and the caution flag flew, locking the field and, for all intents and purposes, ending the
Food City 500 with three laps to go. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development, attributed the incident to “human error.”
“It appears one of the flag people leaned on the switch that is the manual override for the caution lights,” he explained. “When the flag stand realized this, the flagman threw the caution flag. After that happened, we froze the field from the tower.”
As surprised as anyone, race winner
Edwards praised Pemberton for admitting to the unfortunate incident and said “I think that says a lot about the leadership of our sport.” He was however glad the race finished under caution conditions.
“I think there were some higher powers at work here,” he said. “I did not want to see that caution. (But) The caution did come out, and I went, now we're going to have an opportunity to prove we deserve to win this race.”
His main concern was that NASCAR would stop scoring the race and set up a final sprint under green-flag conditions. He said he was ready to defend his position at the front of the field.
“I was fully prepared for, I mean, smashing into each other, bouncing off the walls, wrecking each other for the win,” Edwards said. “I really expected it to get pretty crazy. I would not have been surprised if it would have been a big mess. You've got to go for the win.
“Concern was not a strong enough word,” he added, explaining that the fans like to see cars racing to the end.
“Honestly, it might have been more exciting,” Edwards said. “I did not want to see that caution. I did not at all. So, I'm glad the rain came. That worked out great.”
Rain was almost the main attraction at the car race at
Bristol Motor Speedway, in Tennessee.
The Food City 500 was held up by two rain delays for a total of more than five hours. But rain wasn't the only story.
A fire in Kevin Harvick's car, with 50 laps to go in the race, put an end to the hopes of a couple of contenders.
Harvick, who had won in Las Vegas two weeks ago, was done for the night as he drove into the garage with his car spewing flames. He would finish 39th. Meanwhile, last week's winner
Brad Keselowski sustained major damage in the incident and ended up 14th in the race.
Edwards is the fourth different winner in four races in this year's Sprint Cup chase. Under the
new format implemented by NASCAR for this season, wins are the primary factor in determining which drivers will be part of the
Chase for the Sprint Cup during the final 10 races on the schedule.
Edwards joins
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Harvick and Keselowski as drivers with wins so far this season. Behind them, the
Sprint Cup standings also have
Jeff Gordon and defending champion
Jimmie Johnson at the top of the field.
California's
Auto Club Speedway is the next stop on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
schedule and the
Auto Club 400 on March 23, 2014.
