Carl Edwards picked up his 23rd career win and 135th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series triumph for car owner Jack Roush Sunday at Sonoma. This marks Edwards’ second victory of the season, essentially locking him into the chase with the new 2014 championship format. The Roush Yates engine underneath Edwards’ hood was able to help close the door on legendary NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and put Roush Fenway Racing back in Victory Lane concluding Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Edwards led a total of 25 laps throughout the 350 mile race. On lap 85 of 110 he passed Marcos Ambrose on the restart and from that point forward commanded the lead. Edwards took the checkered flag, sending him to victory lane to do is his signature back flip while celebrating Roush Fenway’s second win of the season.
While in Victory Lane Edwards stated “That’s a moment I’ll never forget, to be standing in victory lane and to have held off Jeff Gordon with all of the success he’s had here and in our sport. It’s just really, really special.”
Car owner Jack Roush followed up with “It was a good karma day. Carl had been good in practice. The car did not have a characteristic that was unsettling to him and they focused on forward drive and had good brakes for it all to come together.”
Edwards stated “I grew up watching Jeff Gordon go through those esses and watching how he drove his car, so to be able to hold him off like that means a lot.”
Roush Yates Engines earned another noted victory in the ARCA series with Grant Enfinger and team BCR winning the Akona 250 at Elko Speedway in Minnesota on Saturday night. This win puts Roush Yates and Enfinger back in the lead for the 2014 ARCA Racing Series Championship.
In a post-race interview Enfinger stated, “I have to thank team owners Howard and Paula Bixman, we have established a great short track program at Team BCR. It’s definitely the best car I’ve ever had.”
Enfinger led 211 of 250 laps and passed all but three cars during his first trip to the 1 mile track.
RYE PR
