CUP: Edwards Wrecks, Finishes Last In All-Star Race

Carl Edwards finished last in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXVI at the Charlotte Motor Speedway when his #99 Aflac Ford was involved in a multi-car accident 90 laps into the 100-lap race.

Edwards’ up-and-down weekend began on qualifying day when, right after Showdown last-placer Joe Nemechek’s run, Edwards rolled out as one of the four final cars to make a timed lap. On his warm-up lap, Edwards suddenly slowed off turn four when he saw rain on his windshield. He drove backwards around the track and returned to pit road, but the qualifying session was soon cancelled, trapping Edwards back in the 26th spot in the Showdown due to his late qualifying draw.

Edwards finished 10th in the Showdown, but was then voted-in to the main event, securing him the 21st and final starting spot in the All-Star Race. His uneventful run that night ended with a bang when he was unable to avoid a multi-car crash in turn one at the start of the fourth and final ten-lap segment. Trapped between Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the outside groove, Edwards was unable to avoid slamming into the wrecked car of Mark Martin. All of the bottom five finishers were involved in the wreck.

STATS AND FACTS
*The race marked the first time Edwards had finished last in the All-Star Race.
*It is the second time the #99 had ever finished last in the All-Star Race; Jeff Burton was the first in 1997.
*Edwards completed the most laps of any All-Star Race last-place finisher. The previous record was held by Greg Sacks, who completed 82 of the 83 laps in the 1986 All-Star Race in Atlanta.
*Edwards has just one last-place finish in a Cup points race: a crash in the 2006 Daytona 500.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
21) #99-Carl Edwards / 90 laps / crash
20) #24-Jeff Gordon / 90 laps / crash
19) #00-David Reutimann / 90 laps / crash
18) #1-Jamie McMurray / 90 laps / crash
17) #5-Mark Martin / 90 laps / crash