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From Team Press Release
June 4, 2004
10:12 AM EDT (1412 GMT)
Dover International Speedway was a turning point in Carl Edwards' career at Roush Racing last year. The rookie driver came to Dover last spring 12th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings. He wrecked the team's primary truck during practice earlier in the weekend, and then was involved in another accident on the sixth lap of the race in the backup truck. The accident ended Edwards' race, and what hurt the most was his pride.
"I was a little worried that Jack (Roush) was going to fire me after the Dover race last year," Edwards said. "I wrecked two of his trucks in one weekend and I felt awful for the entire team. That week Jack sat me down and told me to be patient and to calm down. The next week at Texas I finished second and nearly won. What Jack said after Dover has stuck with me and it has made me a better driver. The Dover race last year was definitely a turning point for the No. 99 team and we only had one way to go.
"Ever since last year I have been anxious to get back there and drive that whole race. It is such a fun track. Now I have an entire season under my belt and I can come back to Dover with a lot more confidence than I had last year."
The Superchips team will bring chassis No. 27 to Dover this weekend. It is the same truck that Edwards drove to a sixth-place finish in Martinsville in April.
"Obviously my goal this weekend is to win the race," Edwards said. "But we have a bigger goal of getting the lead back in the point standings. I don't enjoy being second whether it is in a race, or in the points. Dennis Setzer was able to extend his lead a little bit at Charlotte, but hopefully we can take some of it back at Dover."
Edwards is second in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings, and trails Setzer by only 37 points. He has one win, two top fives and four top 10's in five starts this season.
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