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Benny Parsons

Carl Edwards showed some potential in the 13 Nextel Cup races he ran in 2004, but those results didn't hint at just how strong he would be in 2005 when he won four races and was third in the points standings.

A rapid rise
Edwards is the most exciting fresh face in Cup racing since Jeff Gordon debuted in 1993, and he's also my choice as the most improved driver in NASCAR's top series.

I would have also picked him as the Rookie of the Year, but under NASCAR rules he ran too many races in 2004 to be eligible for that award in 2005.

Edwards was just phenomenal, coming within 36 points of winning the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship. In addition to his four wins, he had 18 top 10s, and 13 top-fives. He also captured two poles, and won close to $5 million.

There is great chemistry between Edwards and his crew. He has his crew pulling for him as hard as his biggest fans. But even so, it is amazing to me that Edwards achieved this level of success with so little experience in the Cup series under his belt.

I think Edwards will improve as a driver because he absolutely loves racing, and wants to continue to learn how to get better. He doesn't just want to go out on race days and compete, it wants to go out and win.

As consistently good as Edwards was in 2005, there are certain tracks where he has much room for improvement, especially Martinsville Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. In two races in 2005 at Martinsville, he ran 26th and 38th, and in two events at Bristol, he came home 24th and 26th.

Edwards ended the year on a high note, getting to Victory Lane in two of the final four Nextel Cup races. He led the most laps (94) at Homestead-Miami Speedway on his way to a fourth-place finish in the season-ending Cup race. And I think he is poised to build on 2005 success in 2006.