Carl Edwards doesn't like to be reminded of bad crashes. That's why he won't sign pictures of his vicious accident last April at Talladega Superspeedway.
Now he has the same reservations with Frisbees.
Edwards not only walked away from his 200-mph airborne flip at Talladega, he ran 100 yards to cross the finish line on foot. During driver introductions last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he hobbled in front of the stage on crutches because he couldn't climb the stairs for the stage, the result of a broken foot suffered while throwing a Frisbee.
Most accidents in racing aren't as bad as they appear. Accidents away from the racetrack often are both comical and serious.
"I enjoy Frisbee; it's fun," Edwards said. "Those stories are true. It is a dangerous, dangerous sport -- I'm here to tell you. It's just what it is. You can hurt yourself doing anything."
Bill Elliott broke his left kneecap in 2000 after tripping in his garage while carrying a bag of fertilizer, and he's currently resting with cracked ribs suffered in a dirt bike accident. Jimmie Johnson broke his wrist in 2006 while surfing on roof of a golf cart. Kyle Petty and Davey Allison both broke their hands after punching a truck; Dale Earnhardt broke his hand in a fight; Greg Biffle cracked some ribs slipping on his boat; Denny Hamlin gashed his hand while playing tag.
Petty and Allison vented their frustrations after a race by punching their team haulers.
The trucks won both battles.
Earnhardt once caught two men poaching on his land during the off-season and he punched one of them so hard it broke his hand.
"You could get hurt doing anything," Edwards said. "Of all the things I've done the last few weeks are things I do all the time. I never thought I'd break a bone playing Frisbee."
Most contracts prohibit drivers from having dangerous hobbies. Some even limit their racing away from NASCAR. But no contract can protect a race team's investment against Frisbees, fertilizer or a bump on a golf course.
Car owner Jack Roush found some humor in the accident because Edwards assured him the plastic cast won't slow him down.
Other drivers had a lot of fun with Edwards last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Some, however, were reminded of their own follies.
"Frisbee accidents and golf cart incidents, those are freak things," Tony Stewart said. "I don't play Frisbee."
Reach Don Coble don.coble@morris.com.
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