Oh So Frustratingly Close

Time for a trip to Carl Edward's home track, the place where he most wants to get a victory.  His 19 car was speedy in the first practice session, posting the 3rd fastest time.  When it was time to qualify, he posted top ten spots in all three rounds, grabbing the 3rd spot in the third and final round.  But then in the second and third practice sessions, his times were only 15th best and 12th best.  I did not know what to expect when the race got underway.

Apparently I did not need to worry about the car, because it showed good speed throughout the race.  Other than during green-flag pit stops, he never fell out of the top five.  When the race first got underway he almost immediately moved up to the 2nd spot and maintained that spot for the first 40 laps.  He fell back to the 4th spot before his green-flag pit stop, but by lap 100 he was right back in 2nd place.  Over the next 75 laps he maintained a spot in the top five.

The next set of green-flag pit stops got him into the lead.  The cautions were coming so close together that there was no need for the Xfinity Camry to pit.  Carl maintained the lead for the next 50 laps.  But on a restart on lap 236, he fell to 2nd, then 3rd.  He was able to battle back into the 2nd spot but did not have enough time to reel in the race leader.

With his 2nd place finish, Carl and his team sit 5th on the Chase grid, 24 points ahead of the cutoff line.  That would be a more comfortable margin if the next race (and final race in this segment of the Chase) was not going to be a restrictor plate race.  He is 4th in the drivers' standings, 13 points behind the leader. 

Ordinarily a 2nd place result in a Chase race would be a satisfying points day, but knowing how badly Carl wants to win at his home track of Kansas just made me ache for him.  I know he must feel annoyed and frustrated.  Let's hope he turns that angst into determination to have a terrific result next weekend.