BOSTON – With just over a month before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolls back in Loudon, N.H. for the first of two New England trips in 2016, one of the hottest drivers in the series this year took on Boston Tuesday to get the word out to fans.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards made a three-stop afternoon visit to Boston Tuesday to promote the July 17 New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Edwards, who is currently fourth in the Sprint Cup Series standings with two victories and nine top-10’s in 14 starts this year, started his visit of Boston Tuesday with a tour of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned US Naval warship.
“This is really cool,” Edwards said of the 200-year-old naval frigate. “This is one of those rare opportunities for me to take part in my job to be a racecar driver and get to talk about racing, but also get to learn some things about the beginning of our country and the people that sacrificed to protect our liberty and our freedom. It’s really cool to be here to learn a little bit about the Constitution.”
Edwards’ visit continued with a trip to the historic Quincy Market and then to City Hall Plaza for the 34th annual Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl, the largest all–you–can–eat ice cream festival in the world.
Edwards got behind the wheel of the NHMS Show Car and surprised those at the Scooper Bowl by driving onto the main stage. Edwards, with Cheryl LaPrade – director of the New Hampshire chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities – presented a check for $10,000 on behalf of SCC to the Dana Farber Pediatric Cancer Institute.
“This was really fun,” Edwards said. “Boston and the history here, especially with the [USS Constitution] and everything that’s happened here, it’s a cool to see this and learn about it. I’m a very curious person. I like to learn things. So this is kind of two birds, one stone. I get to fulfill an obligation to the sport and the racetrack and come up here and do this, and it’s fun.”
Said New Hampshire Motor Speedway general manager David McGrath: “We are so proud to showcase the city of Boston with Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards. … It is exciting for us to really learn about the USS Constitution today and it’s restoration project and its storied history with the US Navy as the Navy’s oldest commissioned Naval warship. That’s exiting for us.”
Edwards, a 27-time Sprint Cup Series winner, will return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July looking for his first series victory at the 1.058-mile oval. In 23 starts at the track Edwards has three top-five finishes and seven top-10’s.
“The track itself, it’s very unique,” Edwards said. “It looks simple. It’s a mile racetrack, pretty flat, a true oval. But it’s a really tough place. Any driver will tell you that success at New Hampshire is success. … No matter how good you are, those restarts … they’re insane. I hope people enjoy the races as much I do in New Hampshire.”
Edwards said visits to Loudon bring a different type of crowd than he sees at other Sprint Cup Series stops.
“I truly feel like when I’m up here racing at New Hampshire I’m racing in front of my fans,” Edwards said. “There are more racers in the grandstands and more racers walking around than probably anywhere we go. To me it’s a real honor.”
Like Carl Edwards class act, wouldn’t mind seeing him win a championship. He came to Stafford speedway to run at a special event and ran a silver crown car did well .Good driver and good for the sport of racing……
Bob, I completely agree! Carl Edwards is very down to earth, sincere, humble, and thankful to be where he is. He’s definitely a great representative for the sport!