Edwards fights through slump in sophomore season on top racing circuit

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Carl Edwards has gone from one of NASCAR's golden boys to one of the sport's "bad boys," struggling on the track and tangling with fellow drivers such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. off it.

Don't expect him to apologize or to make excuses. If he loses his temper -- and he has at times this year -- Edwards says it's about passion not petulance.

"I worked awfully hard to get here," Edwards said Wednesday. "I think that maybe what people are seeing is hopefully they understand that I really care about what I'm doing. I'm going to stand up and point out when I think something is wrong."

If he has to, Edwards will ram the point home. Just ask Earnhardt.

NASCAR fined Edwards $20,000 on Tuesday and placed him on probation for the rest of the year after he intentionally rammed the side of Earnhardt's car on the final lap of Saturday's Busch race at Michigan International Speedway.

Edwards was leading the race when Earnhardt spun him out of his way with one lap to go en route to a victory under caution. It was the latest dust-up for 26-year-old Edwards in a disappointing follow-up to last year, when he won four races and finished third in the Cup standings.

He's not complaining about the penalty, says he isn't holding a grudge against Earnhardt, and he insists he's focused on racing, not his image.

"It's a little bit frustrating to read or hear what some people say or how they perceive me," said Edwards, who was in Alabama on Wednesday to publicize the October race at Talladega Superspeedway. "I think that some of the things that have happened lately, it would be like, What am I supposed to do? Just stand there and take it when somebody wrecks me on purpose?

"I don't really strive for any certain type of image. I'm just going to do whatever I feel like is the right thing."

Edwards considers this frustrating season a learning year.

"I think I'm a lot better racer than I was last year, and I think there's a lot of good things to look forward to," he said.