In the closing laps of Sunday’s Jeff Byrd 500 at Bristol, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards dueled bumper-to-bumper, trading the lead back and forth and raising memories of August 2008, when Edwards bumper-tapped Busch to take the victory. Unfortunately for Edwards, this year’s Kyle was far superior, getting and holding the lead right on through the checkers.
After the race, Edwards was smiling but dropped a hint of a possible season-long storyline. Asked about the possibility of spinning Kyle for the win, Carl replied, "He’s still got one coming from Phoenix."
That, of course, is a reference to the second race of this season, when Edwards had what he considered a race-winning car. But Busch took him out early in the race in what was, by most accounts, just one of them racin’ deals.
Busch apologized after getting out of the car in Phoenix, but that apparently wasn’t enough to soothe Edwards, who added that he still had "one in his pocket" for Busch. When that one will be meted out remains to be seen; it looks like both drivers will make the Chase, barring disaster, so would Edwards wait until the Chase to give payback? Or would he take away a certain win for Busch earlier in the season? Whenever it comes, it’ll be a surprise for Busch.
"I have no idea what I’m owed from," Kyle deadpanned after the race. "You’ll have to ask Edwards. Normally when it’s against you, you’ll remember it forever."
Maybe this won’t go down as one of the most exciting races of the season, but if it perpetuates the chess match/boxing match between two of NASCAR’s best, it’ll be worthwhile.
Edwards clearly hasn’t evened the score with Kyle yet
