Thursday, March 31st 'What If' Question

Nothing makes for better storylines in NASCAR then when it becomes time for drivers and owners to sit down and decide on a new contract.

The last few years it's become quite apparent that big name drivers are no longer off the market and will stay with their big name teams or the organization who may have brought them into the sport. It doesn't seem possible to imagine Dale Earnhardt in anything other than a black No. 3 for Richard Childress or Jeff Gordon leaving Hendrick Motorsports.

Yet, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. following the 2007 season it seemed to open the floodgates. He left DEI and then Tony Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing, a company that he started his career with and had won two championships for. Mark Martin is no longer racing for Jack Roush in the No. 6.

As a new season has begun it means that it's never too early to talk about silly season and who could be where next year. Some big name drivers are again nearing the end of their contracts and a driver that is on the forefront of everyone's mind is Carl Edwards.

Edwards, a Roush-Feway driver in the Sprint Cup Series since 2005, has said he's not focusing on contract talks until a later time. Teammate Greg Biffle recently said he's 'close' to resigning with the organization meaning all the attention will once again be on Edwards. He's one of their most successful drivers in recent years and has been off to a hot start in 2011 and is the current point leader.

He's won a Nationwide Series championship and 29 races with RFR. He's won 19 races in the Cup Series and has a career best finish of second in points in 2008 after he gave Jimmie Johnson a run for his money in the Chase. It would be quite surprising to see Edwards leave the company, however, as previously seen anything can happen.

Biffle though, said it would be a shock if he did in fact not resign with RFR.

But ...

What if for some crazy reason Carl Edwards does not resign with Roush-Fenway Racing, where do you think he will end up? #NASCAR

@Talon64: Red Bull Racing's his only option. Wouldn't fit in at JGR in a4th car, no room at HMS or RCR. Kahne's looked good in #4.

@Matt_Kacar: Joe gibbs racing. Only place he could go and be a championship contender

@racecrazy: J G R

@smokinace88: Wouldnt it be funny if he become team mates with Brad haha

@Emily_488: I hope he ends up back in Missouri or wherever he's from.

@chuckallen2: I'd like to see MWR get a top tier driver to go with the cars. The guys they have are good, but not elite. That's my pick.

@cruetten: Red Bull. Edwards seems to fit the adventurous mold of Red Bull. If not Red Bull, I can see a third team added at SHR for him

@mlarson03: MWR.

@alex141811: I say Penske only because that's who I've heard has been pursuing him seriously.

@ladybug388: Not much out there

@BuckyButler: depends. Is he bringing a sponsor with him? Don't be so short sighted. SHR would love a 3rd team. But they need a sponsor.

@weizdawg: ya think maybe gibbs if there looking for a 4th driver maybe?

@bfellin: id say Red Bull. with Kasey leaving, I think RBR would try and keep two "name" drivers in the stable.

Rich Bohr (via Facebook) Maybe Trevor Bayne will move to either the 6 or 99 car and Carl Edwards will stay with Ford and drive the 21 car. Who knows? Maybe he will drive a 3rd Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy in 2012? Maybe he will bring Aflac and some other sponsers over from Roush Fenway.

Stroker Ace (via Facebook) I think Cousin Carl will end up teaming with fellow Ford driver Jen Jo Cobb. Reason bein... before re-signing with Roush-Fenway Racing Carl does a family tree search on facebook & learns not only is Jen a fellow Ford driver, but she is also his NASCAR cousin!