I don’t think NASCAR was ready for this one.

The boys have at it” attitude that NASCAR gave the drivers came into full swing Sunday At the Kobalt Tools 500. With only 2 laps remaining Carl Edwards Spun Brad Keselowski sending him airborne into the fronstrech wall roof first. The whole feud started way earlier in the race, when Keselowski got into Edwards in turn one only 40 laps into the race.

I don’t think anyone thought that NASCAR’s would be tested so soon only four races into the season.

NASCAR on Monday found in the middle of a dilemma over what to do with Carl Edwards, whose intentional wrecking of Brad Keselowski late in Sunday’s race ignited a heated debate about what is exceptable under this NASCAR new policy.

You know whatever decision NASCAR makes will will not satisfy everyone.

The first to find out here, is what is everyone is so upset about?

Is it that Edwards returned to the track down 153 laps, intent on retaliating against Keselowski, and after trying for at least one full lap, finally succeeded with a deliberate nudge?

  

Is it that the high-speed contact sent Keselowski airborne in a spectacular flip that could have caused serious harm to Keselowski or any number of fans in the grandstands?

Or, maybe, the issue is that NASCAR wasn’t ready to deal with the ramifications of allowing drivers free rein on the race track.

All three would be good arguments.

Edwards is not the only driver who has been on the losing end of Keselowski’s aggressive charge into NASCAR’s top level. Although Denny Hamlin had the most public feud with Keselowski, there is no shortage of top name drivers who privately pledged they’d exact their revenge this season.

I still think this dates back to last year on the final lap of last April’s race at Talladega, where Keselowski’s nudge sent Edwards flying into the fence in a wreck that some may argue was worse than one at Atlanta. But the two race against each other weekly in two series, and Edwards’ hinted at a far deeper history with the unapologetic Keselowski.

Edwards didn’t hold back any words in a Facebook posting late Sunday night.

“My options,” he wrote, “Considering that Brad wrecks me with no regard for anyones safety or hard work, should I: A-Keep letting him wreck me? B-Confront him after the race? C-Wait till Bristol and collect other cars? or D-Take care of it now?

“I want to be clear that I was surprised at his flight and very relieved when he walked away. Every person has to decide what code they want to live by and hopefully this explains mine.”

Brad knows the deal between him and I,” Edwards said. “The scary part was his car went airborne, which was not at all what I expected. At the end of the day, we’re out here to race and people have to have respect for one another and I have a lot of respect for people’s safety.

“I wish it wouldn’t have gone like it did, but I’m glad he’s OK and we’ll just go on and race some more and maybe him and I won’t get in any more incidents together. That would be the best thing.”

Opinions were split, though, perhaps fueled by the severity of Keselowski’s crash.

  

Nobody was to outraged when Hamlin paid back Keselowski in last year’s Nationwide Series finale at Homestead. And it sure seemed that more people were cheering than jeering when Juan Pablo Montoya and Tony Stewart played retaliatory bumper-cars a day later.

Fans want him suspended, and many analysts have agreed. Even Keselowski seemed to taunt NASCAR into cracking down on Edwards.
“It’ll be interesting to see how NASCAR reacts to it,” he said after the wreck. “They have the ball. If they’re going to allow people to intentionally wreck each other at tracks this fast, we will hurt someone either in the cars or the grandstands. It’s not cool to intentionally wreck someone at 195 mph.”

Now it is up to NASCAR to figure out what they need to do.

Jenna Fryer, AP Auto Racing Writer, contributed to this report

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