<p>Carl Edwards got a chance to show what he could do in the big time.</p><p>He's making quite an impression.</p><p>The truck series star took over Roush Racing's No. 99 Ford when Jeff Burton moved to Richard Childress Racing in August.</p><p>Edwards finished third in Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his best showing in 10 starts this season.</p><p>"I'm just very fortunate to be in the No. 99 car," said Edwards, who led twice for a total of 15 laps. "That's a great car, and the team has worked very hard all year to build high-downforce cars that handle really well. I'm the beneficiary of all that hard work."</p><p>Late in the race, Edwards was clipped on the backstretch by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who went sliding into the inside wall.</p><p>Junior conceded that he made a mistake by moving up the track before he was clear of Edwards' car.</p><p>"I did not expect him to come up like he did. I lifted (on the accelerator) a little bit, but not enough," Edwards said. "Another inch or two and he's all right. I feel bad for those guys. It was great racing with them. I just hope they'll still call me over to race go-karts with them."</p><p>___</p><p>DISAPPOINTING CROWD: Most tracks are reluctant to discuss attendance figures, but an official NASCAR report estimated the turnout at 104,000.</p><p>Impressive, right?</p><p>Actually, it's a little disappointing.</p><p>Atlanta Motor Speedway has 124,000 permanent seats, and many of them went unused in the turn three grandstand and along the backstretch.</p><p>When fans who watched from the infield _ perhaps 15,000 _ are factored in, that means there were at least 35,000 empty seats.</p><p>Certainly, the weather wasn't a problem. The race was held on a sunny day with temperatures in the low 80s.</p><p>___</p><p>BUSCH WOES: Kurt Busch wasn't the only member of his family to have a rough day.</p><p>Kyle Busch, preparing for a move up to a full-time Nextel Cup ride in 2005, lasted only 44 laps before a timing belt failure ended his day.</p><p>He finished last in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 _ just one spot behind his brother, the Nextel Cup points leader.</p><p>Kurt's day ended on lap 52 when his engine blew.</p><p>___</p><p>AWESOME BILL: Bill Elliott was hardly awesome on his home-state track.</p><p>Making just his sixth start of the year, the semiretired Elliott was never a factor on his way to a 22nd-place finish. He wound up three laps behind winner Jimmie Johnson.</p><p>Elliott is running a limited schedule this season, a typical way for NASCAR stars to ease into retirement. His best showing was ninth in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.</p><p>___</p><p>LUGNUTS: Jeff Burton had to go to the back of the field after changing engines before the race. He had qualified 21st, but the move paid off when he worked his way through the field for a sixth-place finish. ... Ricky Rudd also changed engines, not that it mattered. He already was set to start from the back of the 43-car field after needing a provisional just to get in. ... Mark Martin had the fastest lap of the day, averaging 184.027 mph on No. 295. ... Joe Nemechek posted his eighth top-10 finish of the year, crossing the line in fifth. ... Who looks good for the next race at Phoenix? Jeff Gordon has six straight top-10 finishes at the flat one-miler. ... Chevrolet drivers have won 20 times this year. Ford has nine victories, Dodge only four.</p>
