It was more like a pat on the back than a slap on the wrist.
In fact, NASCAR practically gave Carl Edwards a "high-five" Tuesday afternoon in handing out a meager, guess-we-gotta-do-something, three-race probation to the high wattage driver for his dangerous on-track retaliation Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Footage of Edwards intentionally wrecking Brad Keselowski late in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race -- Keselowski's car launched in the air and slammed down on the retaining wall -- has made the network news and piqued interest overseas.
Even the tabloid show Inside Edition was asking NASCAR President Mike Helton questions after his announcement that Edwards would not face any severe penalties for his high speed "gotcha".
Part of what makes this case both rare and interesting is that there has been so much outrage and so many calls for a driver to be suspended for his actions on-track.
NASCAR Puts Carl Edwards on Probation; No Suspension, No Fine Despite many calls for a swift and harsh penalty, NASCAR has decided against suspending driver Carl Edwards for an aggressive, retaliatory move in Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Calling the incident "unacceptable" NASCAR President Mike Helton announced Tuesday that the sanctioning body would not fine Edwards or penalize him any championship points, but instead place him on a three-race probation for Sunday's frightening collision with Brad Keselowski and suggested Edwards and Keselowski need to sit down and "clear the slate."
"There is a line. ... and we'll step in to maintain law and order when we think that line has been crossed,'' Helton said. "There is a balance of wanting to do the right thing. ... wanting the teams to race but us needing to maintain law and order too.''
Edwards, more than 100 laps down to the race leaders Sunday, crashed into sixth-place running Keselowski, sending Keselowski's Dodge airborne and crashing hard on its roof along the front stretch grandstands. And the fact that Keselowski's car got airborne on a 1.5-mile track was an even bigger issue in all this, according to Helton.
Edwards has repeatedly said he was glad Keselowski wasn't injured and that he never intended the car to flip into the air. But, he has also maintained that it was absolutely his intent to settle a score with the young driver. Earlier in the race, the two collided and while Keselowski was able to continue racing, Edwards car suffered a lot of damage which was why he was so far off the pace.
Their more famous run-in, however, occured at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April when Keselowski's car made contact with then race leader Edwards, sending Edwards Ford airborne into the front stretch retaining fence. Debris from the accident injured seven fans. Keselowski went on to win his first -- and only -- Sprint Cup race.
Carl Edwards rammed his car into another vehicle Sunday. In the real world, that's called road rage.
In the NASCAR world, that's called "a good time."
That's why it would be an injustice if Edwards (left) is sent to the pits for the next race. He should be sent to jail for what he did to Brad Keselowski. And NASCAR should be charged with aiding and abetting.
It's always a good time until somebody loses an eye or a leg or a family member. Nobody was killed at the Kobalt Tools 500, but Edwards would have been arrested if he'd pulled that stunt on I-85.
It would be dicey legal territory, but I'd like a prosecutor to at least try to bust a driver who's as patently guilty of reckless driving as Edwards.
And what if Keselowski had been killed or his car had flown into the stands? Would the courts just look the other way?
I couldn't get a response from the Henry County District Attorney's office Monday. There is no simple answer to the question of when violence in sports becomes criminal. If I'm a prosecutor, however, I'd like my chances against Edwards.
While the verdict is still out from NASCAR officials on whether to penalize Carl Edwards for a dangerous retaliatory crash he caused late in Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, there has been plenty of judgment rendered elsewhere.
Opinions have varied from those calling for Edwards' suspension to others shrugging off the whole matter with a wink-wink, "boys will be boys."
On the far extremes, fan reaction on FanHouse has ranged from calls for this to be considered a criminal matter to those who think Edwards' target, the young driver Brad Keselowski, "had it coming.''
Still many others are convinced NASCAR is privately enjoying the whole dust-up and will use this as a publicity stunt to promote its next race, two weeks from now, at the traditionally action-packed half-mile, Bristol, Tenn., bullring.
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Monday that if there is any further action -- "if" being the significant word -- it wouldn't be announced until Tuesday, possibly Wednesday.
NASCAR told its drivers to "have at it" this season. After all, what's a little bumping and heavy banging in the name of television ratings, improved attendance and high marks on fan surveys, right?
Four races into the season, however, even NASCAR has had to draw the line somewhere.
Call it unintended consequences or simply a case of mixed messages. But NASCAR, Edwards and Brad Keselowski, who was on the receiving end of Edwards' retaliatory 180-mph temper tantrum, are very lucky someone didn't get seriously injured.
Running 156 laps down -- yes, 156 laps down -- Edwards intentionally turned his Ford into Keselowski's sixth-place Dodge with seven laps remaining in Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
It was more like a pat on the back than a slap on the wrist.
Despite many calls for a swift and harsh penalty, NASCAR has decided against suspending driver Carl Edwards for an aggressive, retaliatory move in Sunday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
While the verdict is still out from NASCAR officials on whether to penalize 
NASCAR told its drivers to "have at it" this season. After all, what's a little bumping and heavy banging in the name of television ratings, improved attendance and high marks on fan surveys, right?
