Edwards throws caution to the wind in attempt to win

1. Did Carl Edwards make the right move with his all-or-nothing slide job on Jimmie Johnson on the final lap at Kansas?

Mark Aumann: I thought it was a great move by a guy who wanted to win the race first and worry about the long-term consequences second (watch video).

Raygan Swan: Certainly, Carl knew he'd be sick if he settled for second place. It's no longer about just a "good points day" for him.

David Caraviello: Absolutely. These guys catch plenty of heat sometimes for being too comfortable with their position, and settling for a top-five or a top-10. It was great to see somebody want to win so bad he was willing to risk the car in the process.

Mark Aumann: Yes, if he had wadded it up, there's a real possibility he could have finished 17th -- and put himself in trouble. But it truly was an old-school move. The funny thing was watching Jimmie Johnson. It was almost as if he first couldn't believe it, then tried to slow down to keep from getting hit, then realized he had to get back in the gas to hold Edwards off.

David Caraviello: Of course, they had the luxury of being way in front of third place, giving Carl the wiggle room to limp home with a banged-up car if he needed to. But something tells me that didn't enter his mind. He was looking out the windshield, not the rearview mirror.

Raygan Swan: He knew he had a good car, he had the confidence, and he nearly pulled it off. "No guts, no glory" seems to be Carl's motto these days, as it should be.

Mark Aumann: I'd have loved to know what he and Jimmie were talking about there on pit road afterward. Almost like two guys discussing technique. It was a classic dirt-track slide job with the comfort of having the cushion on the top groove.

David Caraviello: Well, that conversation was recounted in a certain column that ran Sunday (click here). The interesting thing is, if he had hit the wall too hard and not been able to cross the finish line, we'd all be saying, "What was Edwards thinking? He's running for a championship!"

Raygan Swan: Good point David, but I'd still admire him for taking the chance. Carl and crew chief Bob Osborne have worked hard to gain race wins to put them in a position to take a chance now and again.

Mark Aumann: The scary thing? Jimmie's finishes in the Chase so far are better than either 2007 or 2006, and he only got better as it went along the past two seasons.

David Caraviello: Yeah, Jimmie's getting that look in his eye again. Maybe desperate moves are all anybody else has right now.

Raygan Swan: I appreciate the fact that two of the most clean-cut guys in our sport today are still providing high drama like the Tonys and the Kyles.

David Caraviello: What does this have to do with Kyle Petty?

Mark Aumann: Hey, I think Kyle Petty's ponytail fits his personality.

Raygan Swan: What, long and unruly? We're talking Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch types.

David Caraviello: Oh yeah, Kyle Busch. Man, talk about a fall from grace. Through no fault of his own the dude is buried. I hope he's asking some tough questions of the quality control folks over at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Mark Aumann: Is anybody else stunned that the Toyotas are now 10th, 11th and 12th? And I thought the conspiracy theorists all had NASCAR in Toyota's back pocket?

David Caraviello: Good point, Mark. The Toyotas are all struggling and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is fading. The black helicopter crowd is losing steam. Of course, I'm still getting e-mails from the delusional who claim NASCAR "wanted" Johnson to win because it didn't throw a caution when Waltrip dropped debris on the apron.

Mark Aumann: So would that be filed under "Toyota" conspiracy or "Hendrick" conspiracy, then? And there's still the whole "Hendrick gets all the advantages" thing going.

David Caraviello: No doubt, there will always be someone hiding behind the grassy knoll.

Raygan Swan: My dog does that a lot.

Mark Aumann: What, hides behind the grassy knoll? Or poops on conspiracy theories? (Continued)