Edwards joins ranks of drivers eyeing new rides for ’09

Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards, whose contract with Roush Fenway Racing expires at the end of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and one of the most sought after free agents in the Sprint Cup garage, offered a small clue concerning his timetable for completing a deal.

“For me, personally, just out of respect to everyone and sponsors, and the teams and the way we do business, for me it’s always my mission to get that stuff out of the way and get it done as early as I can," the driver of the No. 99 Ford said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. "That’s how I’ve always tried to do it. … I’m working really hard to get my stuff, just because I think it’s fair to get it done early, and once I get it done I’ll let everyone know what I’ve done."

Edwards, Roush Fenway teammate Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s Martin Truex and Penske Racing's Ryan Newman are among the sport's biggest names yet to finalize plans for the 2009 season and beyond. Another big-name driver, two-time series champion Tony Stewart, said on Thursday he might leave Joe Gibbs Racing for an ownership role in another team next year, though his contract with JGR presently runs through the end of the 2009 season.

Though Edwards has given no indication he's likely to leave Roush Fenway, he did indicate Friday that he's open to the idea of talking with other teams. A winner of three of the season's first eight races, there's no doubt there are other teams interested in Edwards.

“You always want to weigh everything," he said. "It doesn’t cost anything to listen. I think it’s wise to always wise to listen and look at your options and things. And, that’s that." Scenedaily.com