They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. NASCAR says that the incident between Harvick and Edwards is a non-issue.
What are they going to say now that there is photographic evidence of what went down in the garage area at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Thursday.
Jen Preston broke the story of Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick getting into an altercation at Lowe's after last Sunday's Amp Energy 500 at Talladega.
NASCAR said that it was a non-issue and nothing would come as a result.
However, now we know that Edwards grabbed Harvick by the throat and my question is, how will NASCAR let this slide?
In 2003 when Jimmy Spencer punched Kurt Busch in the garage at Michigan, they suspended Spencer for one week.
When Jeff Gordon shoved Matt Kenseth at Bristol, he was fined and placed on probation.
They each had laid hands on another person, something NASCAR says is a no-no, but now Carl has done the same thing. And they're going to look the other way?
And Edwards also has a history of "going off the deep end."
During the Chase in 2007 at Martinsville, he became upset with his teammate Matt Kenseth. After the race was over and cameras were rolling, he approached Matt and they argued. Then as he walked away he cocked back as if to punch him but appeared to think better of it.
During a Nationwide race at Michigan after being spun by Dale Earnhardt Jr. he came back out on the race track and hit Earnhardt Jr.'s car as he rode around under caution. At the time Earnhardt Jr.'s hand was out of the window and could have been hit.
We've also seen him turn Kyle Busch at Bristol in April after Busch bumped him on the cool down lap as he was getting ready to celebrate.
Will NASCAR calm Carl down? Emotion is one thing, but getting physical with someone is a totally different story.
It's time to hand down the penalties.
24 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Mary Jo Buchanan 8 months ago
WOW- you're right Kelly - this picture says it all - and I totally agree that penalties should be handed down.
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
Thanks Mary Jo-
I don't think you shouldn't be allowed to put your hands on another person. And Carl has shown in the past that he can't control himself.
It's time for NASCAR to have a "chat" with him. Like they did to Tony Stewart......
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Jen Preston 8 months ago
Holy crap, that's my name!! Haha, wow Kelly, you bring up a good point. Isn't Kevin Harvick the one that put HIS hands around Greg Biffle back in I believe 2002, leading to Harvick being suspended and put on probation for the rest of the year? Both drivers put their hands on each other, and I honestly can not believe NASCAR is calling this a non issues when a) Edwards put his hands on Happy's neck and b) Harvick shoved Edwards onto the hood of his car, causing a dent (more evident).
NASCAR, get some common sense- please!!
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
I made sure that I gave you credit for breaking the news Jen-Didn't want to steal your story.
And yes I agree with what you said about Harvick jumping over the Biff's car. I remember waching that. Every other incident of a driver touching another driver has resulted in some sort of penalty.
Why shouldn't this one?
Oh wait, because that would mean NASCAR having to be consistant.....
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nic nicholson 8 months ago
Thanks Mary Jo-
I don't think you shouldn't be allowed to put your hands on another person. And Carl has shown in the past that he can't control himself.
It's time for NASCAR to have a "chat" with him. Like they did to Tony Stewart......
so you think you should be allowed to put your hands on another person?
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
Nic-
I'm a little confused on what you mean. My statement of NASCAR chating with Tony Stewart was they telling him to knock his crap off when he was bad mouthing NASCAR. Since then Tony has calmed down.
It's time for NASCAR to tell Carl that he needs NASCAR a lot more than NASCAR needs him. Which is the same thing that Tony Stewart said NASCAR told him....
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M Brian Ladner 8 months ago
At the very least put him in anger management classes or force him to attend a Dale Carnegie course on "How to Communicate with Diplomacy and Tact," like this one:
http://www.dalecarnegie.com/search_courses/sem_desc.jsp?cCode=HCDT
;-)
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
Good point M Brain.
In 2002 NASCAR put Tony Stewart in anger management classes and told him that they needed to see the cetificate that he had passed the class.
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M Brian Ladner 8 months ago
Now that I've seen the rest of the pictures at:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/pgStory?contentId=8664854#sport=NASCAR&photo=8663842
I think maybe they should send Carl to a self-defense course. looks like Kevin never flinched and even after being grabbed by the throat pushed Carl back onto the No. 33 car hood.
I like that both drivers have that "fire-in-the-belly," although I'm not a big fan of either. Still, I haven't been able to watch an interview with Edwards this weekend and not notice how red HIS neck was, from being put in the headlock by Kevin's motor-home driver I assume.
Good story, great picture. The rest of the world who seem to have forgotten some of his earlier altercations like the one in 2006 with Junior are finally beginning to see the "man behind the curtain."
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
That M Brian.
I'm just glad that someone agrees with me. Carl does have a history and that's one of the reasons that it's time for an intervention....
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S M Napier 8 months ago
Intervention on Carl, whats NASCAR going to do to the Shrub? Had Happy's crew not stepped in and got Carl out of their pit stall. He probably would have bled a little too, missing teeth or might be sporting a shiner right now.
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
I dont even want to get started with Kyle Busch. He needs so much work that it's frustrating. Between etique school and maturity, it's a lost cause for him I believe.
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S M Napier 8 months ago
Oops pit should have been garage. Just got a little excited about Intervention and the Dale Carnagie courses for Carl and have to ask the question why not the same for Kyle.
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Larry Theineatme1 8 months ago
Hmmm chevy vs ford
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S M Napier 8 months ago
Now I would love to see the picture of Happy tossing Carl on the Rheem hood. Now as a fan, even I know Happy's not a guy to mess with in the way Carl did and obviously the guys a weasel. Since he can't approach Happy man to man, face to face and resolve the problem talking it out.
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Nikki Hecht 8 months ago
I had heard that NASCAR called both Carl and Kevin in and they sat down and "chatted" Someone, I'm assuming from NASCAR said they both shook hands (Which could totally be fake.. the whole okay let's pretend so we can get the heck out of trouble bit) then went back to their garages.
I always knew that his 'gosh golly gee" routine wasn't the real Carl it was way to much Opie Taylor for my liking. So when Carl started to get a little angry and show the other side of his personality I thought okay cool go for it! (you'll be fined for it but hey it's good tv to see a couple of grown men grabbing helmets and pushing each other) But this is a little outside the showing a different side of his personality, this was done a few days after the fact. He walked into Kevin's garage area with the intent of doing something.
If I were going to fight with someone in the garage, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to fight with Harvick. To me and this is only my opinion I don't know the guy from Adam but he totally looks like he'd be a dirty scrapper. As my mom says, "He could throw down!"
Great article Kelly!!! It will be interesting to see if anything fines, penalties that kind of thing pops up after this weekend.
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
Thanks Nikki.
Harvick does not seem like the type of guy that I would mess with. I've seen all the pictures and it doesn't even look like he's breaking a sweat.
Unfortunately, I doubt there will be any penalties....
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Kara Martin 8 months ago
NASCAR's inconsistancies once again at their finest. Something should really be done about Carl Edwards, he is painted as a loose cannon. What is it going to take? NASCAR should nip it in the bud like they did with Tony Stewart long before this behavior escalates to something much worse!
great job Kelly!!
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RENEE MENDOZA 8 months ago
I think Cousin Carl's hand should be drenched in GOLD!!! Man I cannot stand that big crybaby Jimmie.
He did it to Biffle and can't handle it now it was done to him. GET OVER IT.
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nic nicholson 8 months ago
Kelly wrote, "I don't think you shouldn't be allowed to put your hands on another person."
I totally disagree. I personally dont think you should be allowed to put your hands on another person...in auto racing of course.
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Kelly Crandall 8 months ago
I could care less what they do in their personal lives, but when the cameras are rolling and people are watching, especially kids, they can't be trying to kill each other.
Whether they like it or not they are role models and someone is always watching....
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M 8 months ago
I'm a fan of Edwards and not too fond of Harvick, so this may be a bit biased.
If some altercation cannot be avoided, I would rather see it done in the garage rather than on the track. Edwards has been a bit reckless lately, but in the end he is a pretty down to earth guy. Harvick on the other hand, is just plain annoying. He should learn that running his mouth is hazardous to his face. I really wouldn't mind if Carl just cleaned his clock.
But that aside, there is hard evidence that this happened. Both of them should probably be punished.
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Travis Rand 8 months ago
I as well have to agree here. Dish out the punishment!
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Audrey Shantal 8 months ago
it looks like they're just screwing around. I'm sure if it were real, harvick would have his hands on edwards too, not holding his arm. not to mention, they show no strain. this is how rumors get started. GAY
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