a bit of speculation that bears watching in the next few weeks concerns Carl Edwards. There is one unconfirmed report that Ford executives ‘ who remember played a key financial role in keeping Edwards from jumping to Toyota last summer ‘ may want to put Edwards in a Shell-Pennzoil sponsored car in 2013. How that might play out is unclear, since Shell-Pennzoil is a Roger Penske sponsor. However Penske has been dragging his feet on picking a new driver for that team for next season, letting veteran Sam Hornish fill out the time for departed AJ Allmendinger. And Penske says the ultimate call on that driver would be Shell-Pennzoil officials. Penske would like to bring Hornish back to the Cup tour next season, as part of a three-car operation, if he can resolve the Shell-Pennzoil situation. Joey Logano is figured to be angling for the Penske ride. (Head-to-head the past five weeks, Hornish has averaged a 14.8 finish, Logano 24.6.)(mikemulhern.net)(8-24-2012)
UPDATE: from a NASCAR Teleconference with #99-Carl Edwards:
Q. You brought up the #22. One of the parts of that rumor was that you had an out in your contract if you didn ‘t make the Chase. I didn ‘t know whether you wanted to address part of that rumor as well.
CARL EDWARDS: I appreciate you asking. But I don ‘t ever talk about specifics of my contract with the media. I think those are private contracts. I think there’s even a line in there that says I can ‘t talk about specifics of my contract and neither can other folks. No, I don ‘t want to talk about any of those specifics. But truly, I can tell you this, I will be driving the #99 Fastenal Ford next year. I ‘ve never explored the option of driving the #22 car. That’s why it took me so long to mention to you guys, I thought that was so silly that it had traction, but I guess it had.Does that satisfy you guys? Is there any other part of it that I have not addressed?
Q. I guess the only other part would be if Shell could come over to you.
CARL EDWARDS: ‘That’s a good question. I don ‘t know. I don ‘t think so. I ‘ve never spoken with anyone at Shell. No one has brought that up. So that would be a good question for Steve. But right now the way I understand it, full disclosure, I know nothing more than I am driving the Fastenal Ford Fusion for Jack Roush next year, the #99. I ‘m excited about it. If there’s any other things like that going on, I do not know about them, which is probably better. Is there any other part?’(NASCAR)(8-29-20102)
