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Edwards believes win can build momentum

The Associated Press

Edwards finished 10th in April at Texas and it looked like he might be getting on a roll soon after that when he finished seventh or better in four consecutive races. But he didn't maintain that momentum, and has only five top-10 finishes in the 17 races since.

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By STEPHEN HAWKINS

The Associated Press

Published: November 8, 2009

Updated: 11/08/2009 02:21 pm

FORT WORTH, Texas - Carl Edwards has found a way to try to mask the frustration of his winless NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

"It's not that we haven't had no wins this season, it's just that we've had nine wins over the last two," Edwards said. "That sounds a lot better."

That still doesn't erase that very noticeable zero in 2009.

After winning a series-high nine races last season - "That was an amazing year," Edwards said, almost smiling at the memory - he was considered by many as the preseason favorite to unseat three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson.

Instead, Johnson heads into today's race at Texas Motor Speedway, eighth in the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, closing in on an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship.

Edwards would just like to win a race and try to build some momentum for next season.

"Everybody was so pumped and voted us to win the championship and everybody was on board, but I knew in the back of my mind that things can go great or they can go bad and no amount of speculation can affect that," Edwards said. "Yeah, it's frustrating. But I know how cruel this sport can be."

And how good.

When Edwards got to the 1 1/2 -mile, high-banked track last November, he already had seven wins. He made it eight when he drove his No. 99 Ford to Victory Lane by a comfortable margin after gambling on fuel to complete the first two-race season sweep in Texas - and become the first three-time winner there.

He won again in the finale two weeks later at Homestead to finish 69 points behind Johnson.

Without a wreck at Talladega and an ignition problem at Charlotte in consecutive Chase races, for finishes of 29th and 33rd, Edwards probably would have been able to end Johnson's title streak last year.

Only Johnson (13) and Kyle Busch (12) have more than Edwards' nine victories over the past two seasons.

With a 184-point lead over Mark Martin, Johnson needs only to average a 10th-place finish over the last three races, or 11th if he leads at least one lap in every race, to clinch the championship.

"I'm still trying to race as if we're behind in points," Johnson said. "I feel if we start focusing on an average position where we need to finish, do some things that are different, we will set ourselves up for a problem. ... If we can go out and outrun the 24 (Gordon) and the 5 (Martin) the next two weeks, we'll set (clinching the title) into our minds then. Right now, I'm just trying to keep blinders on and stay focused on maximum points."

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