Edwards Scores Nashville Win With Roush Yates Power

CC | April 26, 2011

During a well-deserved off weekend for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Roush Fenway’s Carl Edwards donned his Fastenal driver’s suit and drove the No. 60 Ford. Drive One. Mustang to victory for the first time since 2007, winning Saturday’s Nashville 300 Nationwide Series race with Roush Yates Ford FR9 power.

The victory at Nashville was Edwards’ second of the season and 31st of his career. This ties him for fourth all time with the legendary Jack Ingram. Roush Fenway’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne also finished in the top 10 with the Roush Yates FR9 Nationwide Series engines.

Edwards, who had won three consecutive Nationwide Series races (2006-07) in the Music City, went six races at Nashville without winning again. His four victories here are tops among all drivers on the 1.33-mile track.

“Was it 2007?” Edwards said. “That’s a long time to run poorly somewhere. Seemed like every time we came we won for a little while. Was it three in a row? Then all of a sudden, we came here and really struggled. That’s really trying on everybody.

“I have to give credit to [car owner] Jack Roush, to Ford, [engine builder] Doug Yates, [crew chief] Mike Beam, the guys at the shop. It looked like we were facing some insurmountable challenges, and they worked hard and got these cars better.”

Edwards led five times for 148 laps and held off (second place) Kyle Busch to the checkered flag by .521 seconds. Edwards drove past Busch with 35 laps to go as the two battled head to head for the lead for numerous laps.

Other notable wins included Josh Richards’ victory at Hagarstown in his Roush Yates Ford 410 Dirt Late Model and Neil Sykes’ win at County Line Speedway in his first outing with a Roush Yates powered Dirt Late Model engine.

“Carl really put on a show,” said Roush Yates CEO Doug Yates. “It was just awesome to see him take command and hold off Kyle at the end. The (FR9) ran strong all race and it was the second win for JE pistons in a Roush Yates Nationwide Series FR9.

“We are so pleased with the way the Roush Fenway programs have come together this year,” he added. “Jack really appears to be giving all his Cup and Nationwide teams opportunities to win on any given race day. As the engine builder Roush Yates is proud to be a part of (RFR’s) overall performance equation.”