NASCAR: Brad vs. Carl Leads to Review

Just the Facts:

• Round 3 of Brad Keselowski-Carl Edwards has pundits and competitors talking.
• NASCAR officials conducted a review of the controversial finish of Saturday night's Dodge Dealers 250.
• Keselowski is getting the lion's share of sympathy in reaction from the racing public.

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — NASCAR officials reviewed the on-track fight between Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski, who wrecked each other in a Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway Saturday night, but as of Wednesday morning, no further action had been taken.

Edwards won and Keselowski's car was destroyed in a crash at the finish line that swept up nine other cars. Edwards wrecked Keselowski coming off the final turn in retaliation for Keselowski's roughing him to take the lead a half-lap earlier.

It's the third violent incident involving the two drivers. Keselowski scored his first Sprint Cup Series victory last year at Talladega (Alabama) Superspeedway when he pushed Edwards aside at the finish, sending Edwards' car airborne and into the debris catch fence in front of the main grandstand.

Then, in March, Edwards spun Keselowski at Atlanta Motor Speedway in retaliation for a bump earlier in the race that wrecked Edwards and Joey Logano. Keselowski's car went airborne and flipped. Edwards was black flagged and was placed on probation for three races.

After Tuesday's review of the Gateway incident, there was no comment from the sanctioning body, but plenty of talk from competitors and pundits.

"I'm anxious to see how far it's going to be taken before (NASCAR officials) step in, or if they step in," four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon said Tuesday.

Current points leader Kevin Harvick and former champion Dale Jarrett, now retired, also lined up on the side of Keselowski, with Harvick suggesting, if he had been in Keselowski's place, "I probably would have walked down there and punched him in the mouth."

Edwards made no pretense, stating that he regretted the collateral damage that resulted but insisted "I did what I had to do" after Keselowski bumped him out of the lead.

"The deal is he'll eventually learn he can't run into my car over and over and put me in bad situations," Edwards said.

Inside Line says: Keselowski, widely considered a reckless, overly aggressive driver not long ago, is now gathering sympathy as the perceived victim. — David Green, Correspondent