Carl Edwards Struggles Continue, Making Some Think of Another Change

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Carl Edwards’ 2012 season has been one to forget. The defending runner-up of the points standings has had a miserable season and everyone pointed the finger at crew chief Bob Osborne, who was replaced by Chad Norris as crew chief before Indianapolis in August.

In the 15 races since Norris has been Edwards’ crew chief Edwards has just four top ten finishes. That is just not good enough, especially when you look at both Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle who have shown some muscle at the mile and a half tracks, Roush Fenway Racing’s bread and butter. At Texas this weekend Edwards finished an embarrassing 16th, which is a track that Edwards usually runs well at. If you look at the last 15 races with Norris, it makes you wonder if there isn’t another change that needs to be made.

Sure you could change the crew chief again. If you look at Norris’ track record, it isn’t very good and with Kenseth leaving for Joe Gibbs Racing next season, it would make perfect sense for Jimmy Fennig, a veteran crew chief with a great track record, to come and replace Norris for 2013. That is unlikely to happen.

The change Carl Edwards needs to make is the same change Dale Earnhardt Jr needed to make a few years ago. It’s not a change that is an easy one to make. It’s simply a change of lifestyle, a change of focus for Carl Edwards.

I am not saying one bit that Carl Edwards isn’t a talented racecar driver because he truly is. You don’t win 19 races in the sport and finish runner-up in the point standings by being a bad racecar driver, that’s for sure.

You do however become distracted. Carl Edwards seems distracted. He seems like there are more important things in life right now than racing. That’s not what it takes to be a Champion. He appears to enjoy the spotlight of being a superstar more than being a successful racecar driver. Maybe him being in this magazine or that magazine and hosting another episode with Kelly Ripa on ABC is just a big distraction for Carl Edwards.

All I am saying is maybe the popularity has gotten to his head a little bit and he doesn’t live and die with how he does on Sunday. If this is the case Edwards needs to fix it because the 2013 season is going to be his most important as a driver. Matt Kenseth, Roush’s longest tenured driver, is leaving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards got a big contract from Roush Fenway to stay at the organization last year. Roush Fenway Racing’s future lays on the shoulders of Carl Edwards and he needs to fix it fast.

 

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