Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski emerged from their much-anticipated meeting with NASCAR by practically posing for the cameras and more than two dozen media who had assembled outside the Sprint Cup hauler.
Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards Talk About ‘The Meeting’
After meeting for the first time since their controversial wreck in Atlanta, Edwards and Keselowski walked out side-by-side, then smiled and gave each other a friendly goodbye pat before going their separate ways to qualify their Nationwide Series cars.
Keselowski won the pole and Edwards qualified fourth. After their laps, with their cars parked next to one another, Edwards leaned on Keselowski’s No. 22 car and asked him about his lap.
Just like old buddies.
In reality, they remain far from friends. But both drivers said in separate interviews that the meeting with NASCAR – and team owners Jack Roush and Roger Penske – produced a better understanding that should allow them to race hard going forward.
“We laughed, we cried,” Edwards said. “In the end, I think it’s going to be good.”
Keselowski said he’s always respected Edwards, mostly because “in a sense, we’re the same people.”
The Penske driver declined to reveal specifics about what was said in the meeting, but added there was nothing that surprised him, which he found slightly disappointing.
“I was hoping there would be, to be honest,” he said.
Roush said he didn’t believe Edwards and Keselowski saw eye-to-eye on the matter, but said “I think they will give one another enough respect that we won’t see another occurrence like that.”
Said Penske: “The guys agreed they’re going to race hard, fair and give themselves some room on the racetrack so we don’t become the poster boys every weekend on what’s happening.”
Edwards said the biggest eye-opener through the whole experience was how the national media handled the situation. He was made out to be a villain, particularly by outlets that don’t traditionally cover NASCAR.
“It’s very hard for people to understand the result is far different than the intent,” he said. “Things can be presented in a lot of ways, but I guess that’s just part of it. Sometimes it’s about selling ad time or newspapers, not about explaining the story.”
Edwards responded again to criticism from Kevin Harvick and others who say he’s “fake” and two-faced.
Said Edwards: “Some people would like that to be the case. It’s really easy to stand back and throw stones at someone and make little chirps and say things that make you feel better about yourself. But in the end, the people who know me know that I’m a very fair person. I guess if my biggest fault is standing up for myself, I’ll take it. They can fault me all day for that.”
Keselowski, though, had a smile on his face after grabbing the pole.
“If you’re going to be successful in this sport, it’s really important that you separate the emotions,” he said. “I feel good that I was able to do that.”
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