A lot of people have already launched into tirades that Carl Edwards received a mere slap of the wrist Tuesday when NASCAR handed him a three-race probation for the incident with Brad Keselowski on lap 322 of Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500. and that he should have sat out the March 21 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway


The cries that if Keselowski's car had flown a few inches in another direction, Carl could have potentially killed someone in the stands, if not Keselowski himself, are valid, but what-ifs rarely play into penalties.

When Kurt Busch almost struck Tony Stewart's jackman, Jason Lee, during a road rage incident in the pits at Dover in 2007, there were cries for Busch too to be suspended, but he wasn't because Lee was not hit or injured.

The penalty may not have fit the crime in many eyes, but it would have merely been overkill had NASCAR heavily fined Edwards or sat him down a race, and I'll explain why.

In the interest of full disclosure, let me preface this by saying that I am no fan of Brad Keselowski. I felt there was a need for his team to have to take a torn up race car back to their shop, with as many teams have had to take a torn up car home as a result of his actions. His total lack of respect or regard for the hard work of his competitors and teams won't fly in the Cup Series, and if he continues to race as he did the last part of 2009, Sunday won't be the last time the #12 car is intentionally sent into a slide.

Let me also say that it shouldn't have happened at Atlanta Motor Speedway, certainly not at the fastest point of the fastest track in NASCAR.

I support Carl Edwards, though I don't support what he did. His best option would have probably been to run the rest of the race, giving Keselowski room, and when the race was over, found him and taken care of business then and there. A black eye and a busted nose would probably have been the best way to get Carl's point across.

Fellow drivers and the fans of those drivers who had seen past races ruined because of Keselowski's actions would have lauded Carl, sending engraved "Thank you" notes. I have commented that I would have "given him a big, wet, sloppy one right on the cheek."

Instead, purely because of the accident's horrific nature, Keselowski is viewed as the victim and Edwards the villain.

And that's where the damage is done.

Carl's image is anything but squeaky clean, the result of many incidents over the last few years with such stars as Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart, and Kevin Harvick. However, he has generally been regarded as a fan favorite, a Mr. Nice Guy with occasional lapses in judgement and temperamental outbursts.

Now, while Edwards' fanbase will probably remain strong, there are a great number of onlookers who have and will lash out and scorn him. It will take a long time for him to get back into their good graces.

The public backlash, both from the media and especially the race fans, presents a greater long-term penalty than any fine, or even suspension, that NASCAR could have handed down.