NASCAR Driver Carl Edwards to Return to ESPN Broadcast Booth, 4/12

After a two-race initiation last year, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards will return to the ESPN broadcast booth as an analyst for the next three races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Edwards will join lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick and analyst Andy Petree in the booth to call the 300-mile race at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night, April 12, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The race will be the first after a two week break in the schedule for the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Edwards also will call races at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night, April 26 (7 p.m. on ESPNEWS) and at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, May 4 (2:30 p.m. on ESPN). In each case, Edwards will compete in the next day's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the same track.

"I truly appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the ESPN team and their Nationwide Series broadcasts again this season," said Edwards. "Allen, Andy and the whole ESPN team really helped me get a better feel of what goes on in the booth last season."

The Columbia, Mo., native Made his debut in the ESPN booth last year, calling Nationwide Series races at Darlington Raceway and Kentucky Speedway. Moving to the booth was a progression in broadcasting for Edwards, who had been doing post-race analysis for ESPN SportsCenter during ESPN's portion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule the previous two seasons.

"I feel I can definitely use my racing experience, combined with what I learned last year, to provide the fans with a better perspective and inside analysis," Edwards said.

Edwards, who drives for Roush Fenway Racing, stopped competing in NASCAR Nationwide Series races last season after racing fulltime in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series the previous seven years. He was the Nationwide Series driving champion in 2007, and earned the 2011 series owner's championship for Roush Fenway Racing, but decided to concentrate his efforts on the Sprint Cup Series exclusively beginning last season.

"We're delighted to have Carl back with us," said Rich Feinberg, ESPN Vice president, motorsports, production. "He brings great insight as a current driver to his analysis as well as a warm personality. He fits in well with our team and we welcome the opportunity to work with him."

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN's NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, WatchESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN on Xbox LIVE, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network's award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

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