Winner, Winner, Picnic Dinner!

What an amazing Carl Edwards weekend this turned out to be!  Even before track activities got underway in Bristol, Tennessee, I was on the road, headed for Carl's hometown of Columbia, Missouri.  An assortment of his fans were going to gather for a picnic, to share good food, good company, and good conversation.  The majority of the attendees were local, but a few of us crazier types decided to drive in from such spots as Kansas, Wisconsin (me), and Mississippi.

The spread of delicious food was surpassed only by the marvelous stories that each of us shared about our favorite NASCAR drivers.  Some of the best stories came from those people who knew him the longest.  They regaled us with tales of his antics as a youngster.  And in the midst of all of this, Carl's father dropped by.  How generous of him to take time out of his day to join us!  It was a thrill to meet him and listen to his stories.

 

Meanwhile, the 19 crew was all business.  Carl's Toyota Camry was 10th fastest in the first practice.  Then, for the second week in a row, he claimed the pole position, his 18th in his Cup career.  Even after his car was switched over to race trim, it continued to show speed, posting times in the top 5 in the final two practices.

I was lucky enough to spend Sunday afternoon with another devoted Carl fan.  Comfortably nestled in Michele Alexander's Shrine to All Things Carl, we watched the race and listened to Carl, Dave, and Jason on the scanner.  Short of watching a race at the track, this was the most fun I have had during a race.  When I am at home there is a dearth of other Carl fans.  Instead this time I got to trade observations and cheer successes with someone who shared my devotion to Carl.

And what a race it was!  Carl did not just win the race, he dominated it.  After starting from the pole, he was never out of the top ten.  During most restarts, he drove away from the rest of the field.  He led the most laps, more than 50% of the race, clearly the strongest car in the field.  Only two drivers have led more laps this year (Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick).  Carl's 475 laps led in the first eight races of this season are more than he led in all 36 of last season's races combined.  And his average finish of 6.4 is currently the highest in the Cup series.

Now with a win, Carl is almost guaranteed a spot in the Chase.  On the Chase grid, he sits in the 4th spot.  In the drivers' standings he is 2nd, only one measly point behind Kevin Harvick.  Another win would put him at the top of both charts.  But we will not worry about that now.  This is the time for rejoicing in back flips and enjoying the sight of Carl holding a gladiator's sword above his head in victory lane.

The lesson in all of this is:  spend as much time as you can with other Carl fans.  You will not be disappointed.  All of the good vibes we generate sends much good luck to our favorite driver.