 Will the Edwards-Keselowski feud boil over to ORP?
2010-07-20 20:40:00
Clermont, IN (Sports Network) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Saturday, July 24. Race: Kroger 200. Site: O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Track: 0.686-mile oval. Start time: 8:00 p.m. (et). Laps: 200. Miles: 137.2. 2009 winner: Carl Edwards. Television: ESPN. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) /SIRIUS NASCAR Radio. While the Sprint Cup Series competes at the "big" track in Indianapolis, the Nationwide Series will race down the road at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Nationwide teams have been running at the 0.686-mile track each year since the inception of the series in 1982.
Obviously, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the latest on-track altercation between Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski. While battling for the lead during the last lap in last Saturday's Nationwide race at Gateway International Raceway, Edwards nudged Keselowski and spun him into the frontstretch wall as they were heading out of the final turn.
Edwards won at Gateway for the third time, while Keselowski slid across the finish line in 14th-place before Shelby Howard plowed into him, causing another spin around. Keselowski saw his points lead trimmed to 168 over Edwards.
"I'm sure he'll say how sorry he is, or how cool he thinks he is, or how great of a guy he is in his own mind, but that's not reality," Keselowski said after the Gateway race.
Gateway was the latest in an on-going feud between Edwards and Keselowski. Will the Edwards-Keselowski rivalry continue at ORP? It certainly will make for an interesting Saturday night here.
"After looking at it, we can each step in the other's shoes and see it from another perspective," Edwards said. "From my side, we'll just go keep racing."
Edwards is the defending race winner at ORP. In last year's event, he had to charge from the rear of the field before passing Kyle Busch for the lead in the closing laps to win at ORP for the first time. Edwards had to start from the back since Colin Braun qualified his car. He was held up in the rain- delayed Sprint Cup qualifying session and then final practice at nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Morgan Shepherd leads all drivers with three victories at ORP. Shepherd won here in 1982, '84 and '88. Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jason Keller and Randy LaJoie are the other drivers with repeat wins at this track.
Forty-four teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Kroger 200.
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