Carl Edwards stays in Roush seat

LOUDON, N.H. (WWLP) - NASCAR's #1 free agent is staying put. Carl Edwards has signed a multi-year contract extension with his current team, Roush Fenway Racing. The signing ends speculation that Edwards would be moving to Joe Gibbs Racing next season. The ever exciting Edwards is the current Sprint Cup Series point leader chasing what would be his 1st Sprint Cup Championship.

During Sprint Cup weekend last month at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon there was little certain about Edwards' status. But the prospect of a Joe Gibbs Racing future for Edwards still gave people plenty to talk about.

Kurt Busch used to drive for Roush Racing. During a news conference Busch was asked about his departure from Roush and what advice he might offer Carl Edwards. According to Busch, "The experience that I went through was hell, to put it lightly.  I went in there like a man to tell Jack (Roush) that I was leaving, and to see how it all turned out was very surprising to me.  I would definitely tread lightly.  Make sure you’re saying what you want to say, the proper way.  I don’t see him going anywhere right now.  This is an owner’s market.  Right now, it’s hard to find the sponsor dollar.  New drivers, guys like Nelson Piquet Jr. are calling me or guys like the Stenhouses or the Baynes are bringing money into the series just to find rides.  So it’s very difficult right now to say that a driver could just pick up, take his sponsor with him and go somewhere because right now, I think that it’s an owner’s market.”

The owners' market theory could very well extend beyond drivers. Crew members are watching closely what becomes of Red Bull Racing. Red Bull's 2 car NASCAR team may not continue after this season. The potential for personnel from 2 teams hitting the NASCAR labor market is not lost on some of those who work in the garage area.