Edwards Wins Kobalt Tools 400

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is home to the annual Kobalt Tools 400 that was inaugurated in 1998. The race is held over a distance of four hundred miles, or six hundred and forty kilometers. Kobalt became the main sponsors for 2011. The race was known as the Shelby American from 2008 to 2010 and before that, from 2001 to 2008, it was known as the UAW Daimler Chrysler 400. On Sunday, 6 March 2011, the Kobalt Tools 400 was in full swing, and the biggest smile on the podium belonged to Carl Edwards – this year’s winner.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is home to the annual Kobalt Tools 400 that was inaugurated in 1998. The race is held over a distance of four hundred miles, or six hundred and forty kilometers. Kobalt became the main sponsors for 2011. The race was known as the Shelby American from 2008 to 2010 and before that, from 2001 to 2008, it was known as the UAW Daimler Chrysler 400. On Sunday, 6 March 2011, the Kobalt Tools 400 was in full swing, and the biggest smile on the podium belonged to Carl Edwards – this year’s winner.

During the qualifying rounds held during the week, the Roush Fenway Racing team performed well and seemed to be a very strong team. Even one of their drivers, Matt Kenseth, broke the record at the track. But it was Carl Edwards who stole the show on race day. Tony Steward’s team let him down a little in the pits, which gave Edwards the edge, as his team did not put a foot wrong throughout the race. Strategy also plays a huge role in these events, and Edwards went into the pits for his last stop five laps later than Steward, with fuel and two tire changes that took him the rest of the distance.

Sunday was a nineteenth career victory for Edwards, and the first for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for 2011. Edwards praised his team by giving them the credit for his victory, saying, “These guys are unbelievable. It means a lot coming off Phoenix. I went home last week and didn’t know how things were going to go. You don’t get a good race car like that often. We had another one today.”

The CEO of Roush Yates Engines, Dough Yates, was also very pleased with the victory, commenting after the race: “This is an exciting win for Roush Yates Engines. We ran great all week long. I think this says a lot about our program and how we plan to run at 1.5 mile tracks throughout the 2011 season. I want to thank Ford again for their support as we continue to excel with the FR9 engine.”

Thumbnail image by Royalbroil